Guwahati, Dec 20: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday asserted that the present government has not only built a new terminal in the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International airport in Guwahati, but the state administration has significantly brought down the travel time between the city and the airport.
Sarma claimed that earlier, the travel time between the Khanapara locality and the airport used to take at least two hours; now, with six lane highway, the travel time reduced to only 30 minutes.
The Chief Minister argued that this could be accomplished as the state government took decisive initiatives to solve the problem, which had been pending for a long time.
According to Sarma, not a long time back, travel to the Airport was cumbersome and time-consuming, taking hours – until we stepped in and solved the problem. He appreciated the “Double Engine” government of the BJP at the Centre and the state that brought major developments in Assam in the last one decade.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new terminal building of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBI) in Guwahati on Saturday (December 20), marking a major milestone in Assam’s aviation and infrastructure growth.
The state-of-the-art facility is India’s first nature-themed airport terminal and is designed to reflect Assam’s rich natural landscape and cultural heritage.
Ahead of the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi posted on X on Friday, highlighting that the new terminal will significantly enhance passenger handling capacity and modernise aviation infrastructure in the Northeast.
The terminal has been developed with a capacity to handle over 1.3 crore passengers annually, positioning Guwahati as a major aviation hub for the entire region.
The new integrated terminal is equipped with modern passenger amenities, improved circulation spaces, and advanced security and baggage handling systems. Its nature-inspired architecture incorporates design elements reflecting Assam’s rivers, forests and biodiversity, offering travellers a distinctive sense of place upon arrival and departure.
In addition to the terminal building, major upgrades have been undertaken across critical airport infrastructure. These include improvements to the runway, airfield systems, aprons and taxiways, aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, safety and accommodating increased air traffic. The expanded infrastructure is expected to support larger aircraft operations and improve on-time performance.
The inauguration forms part of PM Modi’s visit to Assam, during which he is also scheduled to launch and lay foundation stones for several key development projects across sectors such as infrastructure, industry and connectivity.
IANS
