Arunachal Pradesh CM surprised at Governor's letter to PM Modi on airport

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on Saturday expressed surprise at Governor JP Rajkhowa's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to reconsider the decision to build a green field airport at Hollongi in the state in view of its "high cost".

"It is completely against Arunachal Pradesh and its people," Tuki said reacting to the governor's letter in which he had asked the Prime Minister to upgrade Lilabari airport in nearby Assam as it would be economically more viable.

"It is the Centre's decision to provide airport in every state capital on priority and that too we have no airport. I requested Civil Aviation Minister Pashupati Ashok Gajapati Raju during my last meeting to accelerate clearance and allot fund to resume the work soon.

"He has consented to provide fund in the revised estimates of the current Union Budget," Tuki told reporters here after the celebration of Rashtriya Sanklap Diwas today.

In reply to a question, Tuki said he would talk to the Governor as such a move would be an injustice to the people of the state.

"Land has already been allocated by the district administration. How can a major project in the greater welfare of the state be scrapped? If the statement of the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Tamiyo Taga is correct, he should tender public apology," he said.

"I boarded a flight for Delhi from Lilabari airport last month and have been urging the Centre for its development too for the benefit of Arunachal and north Assam," Tuki said.

The Governor in his letter had said in view of the "high cost", public leaders like Tamiyo Taga, some students organisations and social activists met him recently and suggested that instead of a new airport at Hollongi, existing Lilabari airport, adjacent to Lakhimpur district in Assam, should be upgraded at a much lower cost as no land acquisition would be needed.