All NE capitals will be connected by road, air by 2021 — Amit Shah

Itanagar, Feb. 20 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Thursday that the capitals of all northeastern states would be connected with each other by road and air before 2021.

Shah made the announcement while addressing a gathering here on the occasion of Arunachal Pradesh’s 34th Statehood Day.

“I want to assure you that the capitals of each northeastern states will be connected via road and air connectivity before 2021. Construction of an airport has begun in Arunachal and the Narendra Modi government is spending INR 50,000 crore for road construction in the state,” Shah said.

In a veiled attack at the Congress, Shah said INR 47,000 crore was spent on road connectivity in 25 years in Arunachal Pradesh, and the Modi government has spent INR 50,000 crore in just five years.

Noting that the current Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to the development of the northeast, Shah said a total of INR 32,000 crore has been spent in the last three years for the construction of 3,800 km National Highway in northeast of which construction of 1,200 km has already been completed.

Under the northeast rapid road scheme, Shah said a total of 711 km will be constructed in Arunachal Pradesh, 1,560 km trans-Arunachal Pradesh road would reach Tawang in the west, near the Bhutan border, besides building the 2,000 km Arunachal Frontier Highway.

The Home Minister said that Hollongi airport near Itanagar is being constructed to include the state in the air connectivity map. Modi had laid the foundation stone for the Hollongi airport project in February last year, which was pending for almost 12 years, Shah said.

The Hollongi airport, estimated to cost INR1,200 crore, will eventually give the region better air-connectivity which is bound to spur economic activities besides boosting the tourism potential of the state.

Travellers flying in and out of Itanagar will have a hassle-free journey as the airport is being built just 25 km from the state capital. At present, the nearest airport to Itanagar is located at Lilabari in Assam, which is 80 km away.