HOLLONGI, Aug 22: In view of the deadline set by the state government to complete the greenfield airport here by 2022, Civil Aviation Minister Nakap Nalo visited the project site on Saturday to review the progress of work.
Speaking to reporters, Nalo informed that “the state government has set the target to complete the project by 2022, and to make it a success the government is extending all possible support to the Airports Authority of India (AAI).”
“The work has been delayed for some months due to the ongoing pandemic and lockdown, but the good thing is that it is resuming now,” said Nalo, who also informed that a “health team” will be assigned at the site, in view of the pandemic.
The minister informed that work on the four-lane approach road, water and electricity connection and the boundary wall has already started.
“The terminal and the runway are under the AAI, and the tender process for those projects has been completed and the work has been allotted to the company concerned. We are expecting some development in the next couple of months,” the aviation minister said.
Responding to a query on the rehabilitation of the project-affected people, Nalo informed that all the 156 families have been shifted to a new location.
“However, there were some issues related to water supply, which will be solved within the next couple of days by installing borewells,” he said.
When asked about local issues, Doimukh MLA Tana Hali Tara, who accompanied Nalo, informed that “all the disputes have been cleared.”
“This is a dream project of the government and we will extend all possible help to complete the project within the stipulated timeframe,” the MLA said.
The work for the greenfield airport has been awarded to Ahmedabad-based company Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon Pvt Ltd through tender process. The foundation stone for the airport was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9 February, 2019.
Nalo, joined by Tara, AAI officials, Papum Pare DC Pige Ligu and others also visited the rehabilitation centre and interacted with the project-affected people to learn about their grievances.
