The Airports Authority of
India is shortlisting engineering
consultants to
oversee the construction
of a new terminal building, control
tower and fire station, and
allied works at the upcoming
Pakyong Airport in Sikkim. The
estimated cost of these works is
17 crore.
The works are a part of AAI's
plans to give Sikkim its first-ever
airport, a project that was
approved by the Cabinet Committee
on Economic Affairs in
October 2008 (see PM, November
30, 2008).
In January 2009, Punj Lloyd
Group won a
264-crore order to
build the greenfield airport in
Pakyong. The company's scope of
work included the construction
of a 30-metre wide runway of 1.7-
km length, taxiway, apron
drainage system, and electrical
work. The contract will be executed
over 24 months.
Civil Aviation Minister Praful
Patel laid the foundation stone for
the greenfield airport early last
year. AAI is developing the airport
on 3,000 sq. metres of land at
an estimated cost of
310 crore.
The length of the runway will be
1,700 metres and the apron will
have facilities for takeoff and
landing of two ATR 72-type aircraft
concurrently. Work on the
project commenced in January
2009 and is scheduled to be completed
in January 2012. Upon
completion, the airport, located
in East Sikkim district, is expected
to improve tourism infrastructure
and boost connectivity to the
northeast region.
The Government of India also
has plans to develop greenfield
airports at Itanagar and Tezu in
Arunachal Pradesh.