Dehradun: On the silver jubilee of the formation of the Uttarakhand state, Uttarakhand received a major gift regarding airport expansion in Dehradun in the presence of PM Modi. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Uttarakhand government for the acquisition of the Naini Saini Airport in Pithoragarh. The government believes this historic agreement is a significant step towards providing smooth, safe, and sustainable air connectivity to the mountainous region of Uttarakhand.
In fact, the total area of Naini Saini Airport is approximately 70 acres. The terminal building is capable of serving 40 passengers during peak hours and can accommodate only two aircraft (Code 2B) at a time. This acquisition will expand the airport’s existing infrastructure, streamline operational standards, and significantly improve Uttarakhand’s regional connectivity.
According to the government, the development of Naini Saini Airport will provide a new impetus to the state’s local art, cultural heritage, and tourism sector. This will open up new opportunities in trade, pilgrimage tourism, education, healthcare, and hospitality, and create new employment opportunities for local youth. The government stated that this agreement will prove to be an important milestone in taking Uttarakhand to new heights of development.
The reason: The government is placing special emphasis on promoting air connectivity in Uttarakhand. This is primarily to facilitate relief and rescue operations during any disaster, as well as to strengthen air connectivity to all strategically important areas of the state. In this regard, Pithoragarh Airport will be operated by the Airports Authority of India. Additionally, Pithoragarh Airport will also be expanded, costing crores of rupees.
It is noteworthy that PM Modi presented Uttarakhand with a multi-million dollar scheme on the 25th Silver Jubilee of the establishment of the state. Several projects were inaugurated and foundation stones were laid for these projects. At the same time, PM Modi released assistance amount of Rs 62 crore directly into the bank accounts of more than 28 thousand farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
