PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Sikkim's first airport

Gangtok/New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Sikkim's first airport on Monday. The aerodrome at Pakyong is around 33 km from Gangtok.

The foundation stone of the greenfield airport was laid in 2009. Located around 60 km from the Indo-China border, the airport is spread across over 201 acres and is on the top of a hill about two-km above Pakyong village at 4,500 feet above sea level.

The prime minister reached here on Sunday evening in an MI-8 chopper from Bagdogra and was received by Governor Ganga Prasad, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and others at Libing Army Helipad. He was given a gun salute by the Army there.

From the Army helipad, the prime minister's entourage travelled around 5 km to the Raj Bhawan where he stayed for the night.

With PTI Inputs