PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Sikkim's Pakyong airport

SILIGURI: Sikkim now has its own airport. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the country’s 100th airport at Pakyong, putting the north eastern state on the domestic aviation map.

Modi told people gathered at Pakyong airport that the emphasis is on enhancing infrastructural and emotional connectivity in the north eastern region.

Construction of the Pakyong Greenfield Airport, at an altitude of 1,120 m, was started in 2008 at an estimated cost of Rs 254 crore. Work on the project got stalled twice due to protest by villagers and landslides. The airport finally became ready for operations after intervention by authorities. By then the project cost had escalated to Rs 605 crore.


Earlier, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister for Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER), had told reporters, “Sikkim was the last state without any airport. Pakyong will bring it to the nation’s aviation map.”

The high-altitude airport (1,120 m) is also strategically important from the defence point of view as it is within 60 km of the border with China.


A senior defence official said, “Pakyong within 60 km from the border can significantly boost India’s defence capability at this strategically important location.”

Budget carrier Spicejet is likely to start Pakyong-Kolkata flights on October 8, while Druk Air of Bhutan is planning to initiate Pakyong Paro service from January 1, according to officials.

Equipped with modern navigation facilities, the airport hosts a 1,700 m × 30 m runway and a 116 m long taxiway to link it up with 106X76 m apron that can accommodate two ATR 72 aircraft at a time.