'International flights will continue to operate from the old terminal because of customs and other requirements. Eventually, the old terminal will be closed.'
Guwahati is set to see further expansion at its main aviation hub, with the Assam government already planning a second new terminal at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi international airport (LGBIA), even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to inaugurate the newly built terminal on Saturday, December 20.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state has begun planning an additional terminal in anticipation of a sharp rise in passenger traffic and the airport's expanding regional significance.
'The planning for a second new terminal is already in progress. Once the new terminal is inaugurated, all operations will be shifted there,' Sarma told reporters after a cabinet meeting at Lok Sewa Bhavan.
The existing terminal, Sarma added, would be phased out gradually.
'It will take some time. Till then, international flights will continue to operate from the old terminal because of customs and other requirements. Eventually, the old terminal will be closed,' the chief minister stated.
The newly built Bamboo Orchids Terminal, with a capacity of 13.1 million passengers per annum, is expected to significantly strengthen air connectivity between the north east and Southeast Asia.
Operated by Guwahati International Airport Limited (GIAL), the terminal is scheduled to become operational in the first quarter of next year.
Officials see the new terminal as a major gateway for the north east, combining modern infrastructure with regional cultural elements and economic aspirations.
Improved passenger and cargo connectivity is expected to boost Assam's export ecosystem, including tea, agricultural produce, handloom and floriculture, while also attracting tourism and investment from ASEAN countries.
According to sources, the new terminal is envisioned as a strategic link connecting the north east's entrepreneurial potential with Southeast Asia's growth markets.
For trade, it promises faster access to international destinations, while for travellers it offers smoother entry into key eco-tourism destinations such as Kaziranga, Majuli and Sualkuchi, as well as neighbouring states like Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, and nearby Bhutan.
With expansion plans already underway, the LGBIA is poised to play a central role in reshaping connectivity and economic engagement for the north east region.
The prime minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth around Rs 15,600 crore in Assam on December 20-21, underscoring the Centre's focus on infrastructure and industrial growth in the north east.
Modi will perform the bhoomi pujan for the ammonia-urea fertiliser project of the Assam Valley Fertiliser and Chemical Company Limited at Namrup in Dibrugarh district.
The project, to be built at an estimated cost of over Rs 10,600 crore, is expected to significantly boost domestic fertiliser production.
Once completed, it will help meet the fertiliser requirements of Assam and neighbouring states, reducing dependence on imports.
During his visit, Modi will also pay tribute to martyrs at the Swahid Smarak Kshetra at Boragaon on the outskirts of Guwahati.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
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