Arunachal to develop ALGs in remote areas

"The Ministry of Defence has sent the MoU to the state government with details of what could be done to develop the Advanced Landing Grounds in Arunachal Pradesh," Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal S K Bhan said.     

The Arunachal government is keen to develop ALGs at Tuting, Mechuka, Walong and Vijaynagar for sending supplies to the tribal people living in tiny hamlets and troops near Indo-China border in the Himalayan state.     

But considering high cost of upgrading and maintaining the ALGs, the state government wants to involve the Defence Ministry in the project.     

According to officials, Arunachal government is keen to include some clauses in the agreement to have an easy access to these ALGs for civilian purposes like sending supplies and tourism.     

On its part, the defence ministry, apart from upgrading the strips of runways and other infrastructure in the ALGs, is also keen to develop some strategically-located helipads in the state.     

The transport aircraft and helicopters of the Eastern Air Command are the lifeline for tribal settlements in these remote and inaccessible areas of Arunachal which fully depend on the aerial supply by the Air Force. They also depend on these aircrafts to airlift their sick people.