No change in nomenclature of LGBI airport, says AAI (Airports Authority of India)

Son of Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi, Bolin Bordoloi meets Airport director

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The AAI (Airports Authority of India) has assured the family members of Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi of retaining the present name of the Borjhar airport in the city.

The Central Government had named the Borjhar airport after the first Chief Minister of Assam — Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi. It is now known as Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) airport.

But a newspaper advertisement was doing the rounds in the social media where it had been mentioned that Adani Guwahati International Airport invited "parties to participate in the e-tendering process for provisions of various non-aeronautical services at the airport". The Adani Group will take over the operation of the LGBI Airport in October this year.

Amidst this prevailing uncertainty, Bolin Bordoloi, son of late Bharat Ratna Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi on Wednesday met the Airport Director of LGBI Airport Ramesh Kumar and discussed the issue in detail.

During the discussion the AAI authority explained that as per the contract norms only the operations of the LGBI Airport have been leased out to Adani Group. But the Central government — through AAI — will retain the technical operations and ownership rights. Hence, the name 'Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport' — already okayed by the Union Cabinet and approved by Parliament — stands unchanged.

The Airport Director also assured Bolin Bordoloi that he would procure a copy of the Gazette Notification papers that were issued by the Central government through the Civil Aviation Ministry while changing the name of the airport from 'Borjhar' to 'LGBIA'. He added that the he will hand over the Gazette papers to the Bordoloi family and the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Trust "for further clarity".

Bolin Bordoloi told The Sentinel on Thursday evening that he was happy and convinced with the assurance of the AAI. He added that he would also write to the Aviation Ministry and AAI to install the existing statue of his father at a prominent location at the LGBI airport premises.

"We hope that the Adani Group that has taken up the operating franchise of LGBI Airport will uphold and respect the sentiments of the entire nation, especially the people of Northeast India and Assam while carrying out their responsibilities in the days to come. For if it was not for Bharatratna Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi, the history of the region and Assam, in particular, would have been a different one," said Allen Brooks, a prominent citizen who accompanied Bolin Bordoloi to meet the airport Director.

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