PM Modi dedicated Kameng Hydroelectric Power Plant

November 20, 2022November 20, 2022 MTIMES

ITANAGAR: Now direct commercial air service to Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Donyi Polo Itanagar Airport in Hollongi. Also dedicated the 600 megawatts (mw) Kameng Hydroelectric Power Plant in the West Kameng district to on Saturday in the midst of thousands of people.

Kameng Hydroelectric Power Plant has two dams and a powerhouse having 4 units of 150 MW to generate 3,353 million units of electricity directly.

Note that, The foundation stone of the airport was laid by the Prime Minister on February 9, 2019.

“The launch of Donyi Polo Airport is a strong response to the critics who tried to label the foundation stone of the airport as an election gimmick,” Modi said in his speech.

“Political commentators and critics should stop seeing everything through a political prism,” he said, adding that he was working for the growth of the nation instead of indulging in political gimmicks.

“The government’s priority is the development of states. I start the day in the state of the rising sun and end the day when the sun sets in India, in Daman and in between I will be in Kashi,” he said.

“Donyi Polo Airport is an eyewitness to the history and culture of Arunachal Pradesh,” Modi said.

Drawing an analogy between the light of the sun and the moon and the development of the state, the Prime Minister said that “the development of the airport is as important as the development of the poor”.

He said that with the development of the new airport infrastructure, “it will create huge opportunities in cargo services.

“As a result, farmers in the state can now sell their produce to bigger markets,” he said, adding that farmers in the state are reaping the benefits of Prime Minister’s Kisan Nidhi.

The Prime Minister also said that “Donyi Polo Airport will be the fourth operational airport for Arunachal Pradesh, taking the total number of airports in the North Eastern region to 16″.

“From 1947 to 2014, only nine airports were built in the Northeast. In a short span of the last eight years, seven airports have been built in the Northeast,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that the central government intends to spend an additional Rs 50,000 crore in the near future for infrastructure development in Arunachal and stressed the need for proper connectivity to the remote areas of the state to increase the tourism potential of the state.

The Prime Minister also recalled his frequent visits to Arunachal and appreciated the commitment of the people of Arunachal for the development of the state.

The airport was built on 694 acres of land at a cost of Rs 645 crore. It has a runway of 2,300 meters and is suitable for all-day operation in all weather conditions.

The airport terminal is a modern building that promotes energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and resource recycling. It has a capacity of 300 passengers at a time and a parking space for MI-17 helicopters.

“Today is a joyous and historic day for the people of Arunachal Pradesh. Three years ago, Prime Minister Modi came to lay the foundation stone of the green field airport. Although the Covid pandemic wreaked havoc, within three years the Prime Minister himself had flown out of Delhi and inaugurated Donyi Polo Airport. It is a proud moment for every Arunachali,” Chief Minister Pema Khandu said in his speech.

“In the connectivity sector, the Prime Minister has given top priority to North East and Arunachal. I would like to thank the Prime Minister for making operational the nine forward airstrips of the 1960s,” Khandu added.

“With the operation of the airport, it will rapidly boost the economic and tourism activities of the state,” he said.

In his speech, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “Many years ago it was just a dream to have our own airport. The Prime Minister himself made it a reality today with the ceremonial opening of the airport. It is the greatest gift to the people of Arunachal.”

Governor BD Mishra, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Legislative Assembly Speaker PD Sona, MPs Tapir Gao and Nabam Rebia, BJP state president Biyuram Wahge and MLA Tana Hali were among the dignitaries on the dais with the Prime Minister.