PM Modi to inaugurate Arunachal Pradesh’s first Greenfield airport Donyi Polo Airport

Tags: Environment Economy/Finance State News

In an aim to boost connectivity in the North East, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first Greenfield airport built in Arunachal Pradesh on 19 November 2022. The newly constructed Donyi Polo Airport was opened at Hollangi, Itanagar on 19th November. The foundation stone for this airport was laid by PM Modi himself in February, 2019. 

About the Donyi Polo Airport

 This is the first Greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh developed by the Airport Authority of India at a cost of around Rs 650 crore. Green field means that it is newly constructed.  

This will also be the third airport in Arunachal Pradesh after the Zero Airport and Tezu airport.  

The airport has been designed to support the operations of an A-320 aircraft.

According to the Prime Minister Office (PMO) the name of the airport reflects the traditions and rich cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh and its age-old indigenous reverence for the Sun (‘Donyi’) and the Moon (‘Polo’).

Airport in North Eastern Region 

According to the Prime Minister Office after Independence only 9 airports were built in the region till 2014. However in the last 8 years the present government has built 7 new airports in the region. 

With the Donyi Polo Airport becoming operational the total airports  in North East will be 16.

According to the PMO, aircraft movement in the North-East has also witnessed an increase by 113% since 2014, from 852 per week in 2014 to 1817 per week in 2022.

PM to inaugurate the 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station

During his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister will also dedicate 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station to the nation. The station has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 8450 crore and is located in the West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh.

Kameng Hydro Power Station is a run-of-the river scheme to harness the hydro power of Bichom and Tenga Rivers (both tributaries of the River Kameng). The Power Station has two dams, one at Bichom & the other at Tenga.

The project has been developed by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited,(NEEPCO ltd), a wholly owned Subsidiary company of NTPC ltd.

Run of the River project

In the run of the river project, reservoirs are not built for water storage purposes and the natural flow of water from a height is used to run micro turbines to produce electricity.

Arunachal Pradesh 

It is the easternmost region of India. It is also called ‘Land of the Dawn-lit-Mountains’ or land of rising sun.

It was earlier called as North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and it was renamed as Arunachal Pradesh in 1972. It was a Union Territory.

It became a state on 20 February 1987.

Governor of the State: Brig BD Mishra (Retd) 

Chief Minister: Pema Khandu

Capital: Itanagar