Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B.D. Mishra has observed that the work on the Hollongi Greenfield Airport has slowed down substantially due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state.
He visited the airport on Monday and was briefed on the progress of work by Swapnil Naik, state Civil Aviation Secretary, Dilip M. Sajnani, General Manager of Airports Authority of India, senior officers of PWD, Power, PHED and the contractors involved.
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The Governor said that for ensuring the timely completion of the airport, the delays during the Covid-19 pandemic have to be made up by deploying extra workforces, additional plants and machines, proportionate increased availability of construction materials, close supervision and regular monitoring of the work flow chart.
The Governor said that unless these aspects are taken care of, the completion of the airport on time is not possible. He further stressed that there was a pressing need for simultaneous work input on all segments of the Airport.
“The supervisors of each segment of construction should be made accountable for the quality of work and the planned progress according to the target timeline,” he added.
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Mishra expressed concern regarding the delay in award of the contract for works of other essential infrastructure, which has an outlay of over Rs. 160.65 crore and is still in the stage of inviting tenders.
He told Naik that during the process of tendering, acceptance of bids and award of work, there should be a strict focus on the target date for the completion of the work.
The Governor also observed that the total planned handling capacity of the passengers at arrival and departure lounges is around 100 each only.
Similarly, the capacity for car parking for passengers is only for 100 vehicles.
These may need an appropriate review within the parameters of the overall design for various capacities at the airport.
The Governor also observed that for the future extension of the runway, there is reported thinking of diverting the course of Kokila River.
To obviate the need for diverting the course of the river, which may impact nature adversely, could be reviewed by examining the scope for the future extension of the Runway on either end of the currently planned runway.
While going around the runway area, the Governor noticed that the new approach road to the airport under construction is running along the foothills which is the Reserve Forest area.
This forest is being rampantly encroached upon at various places.
Some encroachers have even put up warning boards reading: “Private land, trespassers will be prosecuted as per law” or words to that effect. They are blatantly treating their encroachment as their private land, the Governor said and asked the PCCF, DC and SP, Papum Pare to carry out a joint of the affected Reserve Forest with a view to identifying the encroachers and take appropriate action.
He impressed upon all the stakeholders at the proposed Hollongi Airport to work in a mission mode so that there is no compromise in the quality of work and no delay in the targeted completion.
Mishra further said that every stakeholder must remember that Hollongi Airport when operational will be a big amenity for the development, progress and welfare of the people of Arunachal Pradesh.