Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar

Donyi Polo Airport (IATA: HGI, ICAO: VEHO), also known as Hollongi Airport, is a domestic airport serving Itanagar, the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh, India. It is located at Hollongi, situated 14 km (8.7 mi) south from the city centre, in the Papum Pare district. It is built by the Airports Authority of India, over an area of 320 hectares. The airport is the 16th airport of Northeast India.[6][7] Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the airport on 9 February 2019.[8] Construction was started on 15 December 2020, and was inaugurated on 19 November 2022, with flight services started by IndiGo to Kolkata and Mumbai from 28 November 2022.[9][10][11]

Donyi Polo Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerAirports Authority of India
ServesItanagar
LocationHollongi, Papum Pare district, Arunachal Pradesh
Opened19 November 2022 (2022-11-19)[1][2]
Elevation AMSL328 ft / 100 m
Coordinates26°58′12″N 93°39′53″E
Map
HGI is located in Arunachal Pradesh
HGI
HGI
Location of airport in Arunachal Pradesh
HGI is located in India
HGI
HGI
HGI (India)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
08/26 7,546 2,300 Concrete
Statistics (April 2022 – March 2023)
Passengers35,538 Increase
Aircraft movements476 Increase
Cargo tonnage—
Source: AAI[3][4][5]

History

In 2007, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh had chosen Banderdeva, situated 25 km from Itanagar, as a suitable location for the project. The then Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, laid the foundation stone on 20 February 2007 for the project.[12] However, the technical committee of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) rejected the site and recommended Holongi as an alternative site for the project in 2011. AAI had recommended Hollongi on grounds of operational safety, lower costs of construction and ease of future expansion. The Hollongi site lay on flat ground, had better usability in poor weather and offered scope for easy construction and expansion. The Banderdeva site, on the other hand, was surrounded by hilly terrain and permitted operation of aircraft from only one direction. The cost of construction was estimated at ₹ 980 crore for Banderdeva, as against ₹ 650 crore for the Hollongi site. The differences between AAI and the state government caused a dispute that resulted in the project getting delayed. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) eventually stepped in to put an end to the dispute in July 2012, and the Hollongi site was finalised.[13]

Features

The airport has a single 2,300 metre runway oriented east–west in the first phase, to serve narrow-body aircraft and can be extended to 2,800 metres to land wide-body aircraft. The airport apron measures 160 metres by 115 metres linked to the runway by two taxiways. It has night landing facilities and navigation facilities like DVOR and Instrument Landing Systems.[14]

Construction

After the creation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) by AAI, and the laying of the project's foundation stone, the contract for construction work of the project was awarded to Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon Private Limited (DRA Infracon), who was given a period of 30 months to complete the airport, in February 2020.[14]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinationsRefs.
Alliance AirDibrugarh, Pasighat, Ziro[15]
FlyBigGuwahati[16]
IndiGo Delhi,[17] Kolkata, Mumbai [18][19]

See also

References
  1. "PM Modi inaugurates first greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh". The Hindu. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  2. "Arunachal gets 1st greenfield airport. Here's why it is significant: Top 5". Hindustan Times. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  3. "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  4. "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  5. "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  6. "PM Modi inaugurates Arunachal's first greenfield airport, Donyi Polo Airport".
  7. "Itanagar's Donyi Polo Airport: PM Modi to inaugurate Northeast's 16th airport tomorrow".
  8. "PM Lays Foundation Of Airport, Inaugurates Another In Arunachal Pradesh". NDTV. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  9. "PM Modi inaugurates first greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh". The Hindu. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  10. "Arunachal gets 1st greenfield airport. Here's why it is significant: Top 5". Hindustan Times. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  11. "Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia flags off first flight from Itanagar's Donyi Polo Airport". The Economic Times. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  12. "Entire village required for greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh". Project Monitor. 23 May 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  13. "PMO resolves tussle between AAI, Arunachal government". The Hindu. 29 July 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  14. "Gujarat co wins Arunachal greenfield airport project". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 8 February 2020.
  15. Joshi, Gaurav (1 December 2022). "Alliance Air Starts New Routes In Northeast India". Simple Flying. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  16. Mehta, Yuvraj (15 January 2023). "Arunachal: For the first time Flybig flights connect Itanagar to Guwahati under UDAN scheme". India Today NE. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  17. "IndiGo to commence Delhi-Donyi service in Oct-2023". CAPA. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  18. "Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia flags off first flight from Itanagar's Donyi Polo Airport". The Economic Times. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  19. "IndiGo Announces Delhi-Itanagar Flights". Simple Flying. 3 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
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