Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday informed that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has planned for construction of a new domestic terminal at the Tezu airport in Lohit district which would handle around 200 passengers during peak hours.
Prabhu, who was replying to an unstarred question raised by Lok Sabha MP Ninong Ering regarding the construction and expansion of old airports in the country, including those in Arunachal Pradesh during the ongoing winter session of the parliament said that construction of a new air traffic control (ATC), technical block, fire station (Cat-IV) and associated facilities are also been planned at the Tezu airport.
The Union Minister further informed that the extension of runway by 128 mtrs, strengthening of the existing runway and new apron for two ATR 72 types of aircraft along with link taxiway has already been completed at the Tezu airport and it is ready for operationalization with an interim terminal building.
Prabhu also informed that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has planned for infrastructure development at various airports including 20 major ones with a capex of Rs. 25,000 crores in the next five years.
He, however, said that the development, upgradation and expansion of an airport is a continuous process which is undertaken by AAI from time to time depending on the availability of land, commercial viability, socio-economic considerations, traffic demand and willingness of airlines to operate to and from such airports.