The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has proposed to build an aerotropolis in Assam, which would bring huge benefits to the region in terms of civil aviation and air connectivity.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha disclosed this on Monday to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and requested the Chief Minister to allot 2,000 acres of land within hour-long distance from Guwahati near the Brahmaputra River.
The Chief Minister assured all cooperation in this regard and said that it would be huge opportunity for the Northeast to open air links with the South East Asian countries.
It may be mentioned here that an aerotropolis is an airport centric metropolitan hub where infrastructure and economy are all based on the access to the airport which serves as a commercial point like any traditional metropolis which contains a central city commercial core area and commuter-linked suburbs.
Saying that the Act East Policy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been at forefront of the development agenda of the State, Sonowal said that the proposed aerotropolis would bolster the air connectivity in the region and open the North-eastern region as the business hub of the South East Asia.
The Chief Minister also requested the Union Minister of State for sending officials from the Union Civil Aviation Department for conducting aerial survey of the entire stretch of the Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri for identifying suitable locations for establishing aerotropolis in the State.
Saying that the Northeast has the potential to be the growth engine of the country with opening road and air links with the South East Asian countries, Sonowal urged Sinha for starting direct flights on Guwahati–Bangkok and Guwahati-Singapore routes which would speed up the momentum of economic growth of the region by increased tourist inflow and trade activities.
Referring to the Government plan of dredging the Brahmaputra River from Sadiya to Dhubri, the Chief Minister said that increased depth of the river would enable plying of cargo ships on Brahmaputra through Bangladesh to Chittagong port for which agreement with the Bangladesh Government has already been made and its road, water and air connectivity would see a huge improvement in the State in near future.
Jayant Sinha urged the Chief Minister for expediting the work of metro train in the in Guwahati so that access to proposed aerotropolis and airports can be improved.
The Chief Minister apprised Sinha that the Government is working on starting metro train in the city and it would be completed by the time aerotropolis comes up in next few years.
He also apprised the Union Minister of State of Government’s plan of making a State Capital Region including nearby areas of Guwahati city and industry majors of the country are being invited to set up base in the State to take advantage of the infrastructure boom of the State.