PM to lay foundation stone of green field Airport in Arunachal's Hollongi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate several projects and lay foundation of many vital schemes in Arunachal Pradesh during his visit to the north-eastern state on Saturday, officials said Thursday. Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of a green field Airport at Hollongi near here, they said.

The ambitious airport project in the state has been pending for several years due to controversies over site selection. Arunachal Pradesh is the only state in the country without a full-fledged airport. Initially, Karsingsa was selected as the site for the airport but owing to technicalities, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had asked the state government to find some other site.

On the request of the state government, a central joint inspection committee visited Itanagar to study the feasibility of the site during 2017 and recommended Hollongi. The prime minister will also inaugurate a retrofitted airport at Tezu in Lohit district besides a 110 MW hydro electric project, Arun Prabha channel of Doordarshan and 50 health and wellness centres in the state.

Modi will also lay the foundation stone of a Film and Television Institute at Jote, near here and seven electric sub stations under Comprehensive Scheme, the officials said. He would lay the foundation stone of Sella Tunnel and its approach road in Tawang district besides declaration of cent per cent household electrification in the state under Saubhagya Scheme. All the inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony would be held from Indira Gandhi Park here, they said. From Itanagar, Modi is scheduled to visit Assam and Tripura.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in view of the PMs visit to the state capital. Large contingents of central paramilitary forces besides state police have spread a dragnet across the state capital since Wednesday and thorough checking of visitors at all checking points is going on to prevent entry of unwanted elements, DGP S B K Singh said. Chief Minister Pema Khandu accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Wednesday took stock of the arrangements at IG Park, the officials added..

(With inputs from agencies.)