Union minister Rammohan Naidu unveils new terminal at Donyi Polo Airport to enhance northeast air connectivity

Itanagar: Union minister for civil aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Thursday said the Centre is placing special focus on improving air connectivity in the northeast.Inaugurating the new terminal building at Donyi Polo Airport in Hollongi near here, Naidu said the civil aviation has been a very important sector for the NDA govt under PM Narendra Modi, with the number of airports, aircraft and passengers doubling in the past 11 years.He said discussions are underway to increase connectivity with plans to strengthen regional links, including the development of heliports within Arunachal Pradesh under the extended UDAN scheme, which has been renewed for 10 years to improve domestic and regional connectivity by supporting airlines on routes that were previously considered unviable.The modified scheme will place a special emphasis on extending air connectivity to all northeastern states, hilly regions and aspirational districts, Naidu said.In addition to Donyi Polo airport, which started operations in 2022, he said airports in Pasighat, Tezu and Ziro will be developed.The new terminal building has a pre-cover capacity of 800 passengers, allowing it to handle up to 15 lakh people per year, a significant increase from the previous temporary building, which had a capacity of 150 passengers.To further boost connectivity, the frequency of flights to Delhi will increase from four to seven days a week, starting Sept 17.

The daily flights, operated by IndiGo, will connect Itanagar to a major hub, which currently connects Guwahati, Kolkata and Tezu.On the occasion, several new passenger-centric initiatives were also launched like the UDAN Yatri Cafe, a library initiative that allows passengers to pick up and drop off books at different airports; the AVASAR initiative, which provides a platform for self-help and women’s groups to sell their products at the airport; and a new kids’ store to cater to families traveling through the airport.These initiatives are part of a broader plan to improve the overall passenger experience, Naidu said, adding that the govt is looking at providing free Wi-fi to both domestic and international passengers, as well as installing more charging stations and workstations.Also present were chief minister Pema Khandu, state civil aviation minister Balo Raja, chief secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, AAI chairman Vipin Kumar and others.