Union Minister for Civil Aviation P Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Sunday laid the foundation stone for a new Integrated Terminal Building of lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati which will have the capacity to handle 3,100 passengers during peak hour.
Highlighting that during last three years of NDA Government, the Civil Aviation Sector has recorded fastest growth both internationally and domestically, Raju said, “From not even reckoning, we have become the fastest going aviation in the world and third nation in the world in domestic traffic. Our aviation team works hard at all level.” “Till the time, the NDA Government came to power only 73 airports in the country were connected where commercial flights used to go. But within three and a half years, 18 airports have already started functioning under the present Government,” Raju said.
The new terminal to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,232 crore will have 64 check-in counters, 20 self check-in kiosks, eight Immigration counters, eight custom counters, six arrival carousels, ten escalators, 25 elevators, 16 self-baggage drop counters and 20 aircraft parking bays among others.
To be spread over 90,000 Sq/m, the new terminal building will conform to GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) 4-Star rating. The city side of the building will be aesthetically landscaped with lush green areas. It will have green areas within and outside connecting passengers to nature. A small internal forest feature, bamboo artifact and a craft village are integrated into the overall design, highlighting the rich ethos and culture of the Northeastern region of India.
“Governments have to work as a team. When State Governments and Govt. of India work together, nothing stops India’s progress. We have to learn to work together to make our country great in all spheres and under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Assam will prosper,” he observed.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who was also present on the occasion exuded confidence that the initiative would help in realization of the growth potential of the State and forging better economic ties with the South East Asian nations.
“Transportation and connectivity are the two most important means for economic prosperity. Government of Assam accords top priority to improve communication and engages in faster development of road, rail and air linkages besides internet connectivity,” the Sonowal said.
“We have 800 million people in and around us in the south east. This is a great market and through implementation of Act East Policy we want to take the development forward,” he said while adding that with such an imposing infrastructure coming up boosting air connectivity, the transformation narrative of the region would receive a major impetus and this would lead to emergence of Guwahati as the gateway to the South East Asia.