MoU inked to start fixed-winged aircraft in Arunachal Pradesh

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Air connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh achieved another milestone on Sunday with decks cleared for introduction of fixed-wing flight services to remote towns like Mechuka, Tuting, Ziro and Vijaynagar. In virtual presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed an agreement with Alliance Air to lease out two 'Made in India' Dornier DO-228, a 16-seater aircraft, for operation in the State under the Centre's UDAAN scheme.

"It is a big leap in connectivity for Arunachal Pradesh," Pema Khandu observed while expressing gratitude to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, HAL and Alliance Air.

The Chief Minister expressed hope that all feasible Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in the State would be connected with fixed wing passenger services in the days to come, a communiqué from the CMO said. According to official sources, the DO-228 services would be introduced in three phases.

In the first phase, the service would be introduced at Pasighat and Tezu, while Mechuka, Tuting, Vijaynagar and Ziro would be connected in the second phase. Two more ALGs, which are under survey at Dirang and Daporijo would be connected in the third phase.

Khandu informed that civil passenger terminal building (PTB) at Ziro and Tuting were under construction and would be completed by this year end. PTB at Mechuka is also under construction while Pasighat and Tezu already have the mandatory infrastructure.

The Chief Minister suggested that till completion of the Hollongi Airport near here, which can be later used as operational base for DO-228 aircrafts, flight services connecting Tezu, Pasighat, Ziro, Tuting, Mechuka and Vijaynagar may be extended to Lilabari airport in Assam's North Lakhimpur district so that passengers from the remote places coming to the State capital can avail these flights. He added that till completion of the Hollongi airport, operational base of the Dornier aircrafts may be made at Guwahati or Dibrugarh.

Khandu assured that as required a Core Group would be constituted to finalize the operational plan for the two DO-228 aircrafts within the next two months. He also declared that the official opening ceremony of the DO-228 aircraft services would be held at Mechuka in Shi-Yomi district and invited civil aviation ministry, HAL, Alliance Air and other officials to take the inaugural DO-228 flight to be there. Present in the MoU signing ceremony were civil aviation ministry Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, Joint Secretary Usha Padhee, DoNER Secretary Lok Ranjan, and other dignitaries.

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