PM Modi to inaugurate Sikkim Airport on September 24

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim on September 24, officials said Friday.

The greenfield airport, located 30 km from here, will put Sikkim on the aviation map of the country.

The Prime Minister will address a public meeting at St Xavier's School ground in Pakyong after inaugurating the state's first airport, the officials said.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive at the Bagdogra airport at 4.10 pm on September 23 after which he will board an helicopter from there to fly to Gangtok, the officials said.

The Prime Minister will be received by the Governor of Sikkim Ganga Prasad and state Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling after his arrival in the state, the officials said.

He will stay at Raj Bhawan on September 23 and will inaugurate the Pakyong airport the next day.

The PM's programme at the airport will begin at around 10 am on September 24, a state government official said Friday, adding, that the PM will then address the people at 10.30 am at the St Xavier's School ground.

From there he will return to the Pakyong airport, board a chopper and fly to Bagdogra.

The Pakyong airport was approved by the Centre in 2008 and was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore.

The project is being billed as an engineering marvel -- it has been built at an height of 4,500 feet in an inhospitable terrain.

Once commissioned, it will be the 100th functional airport in the country.

As on date, Sikkim is the only state in the country without a functional airport.

Low-cost airline SpiceJet has been granted permission to fly to Pakyong from Kolkata under the Civil Aviation Ministry's regional connectivity scheme.

SpiceJet has already conducted a dry run at the airport with one its Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 aircraft successfully landing there on March 5.

Also in March, A Dornier 228 of the Indian Air Force landed at the airport.

The tourism sector, in particular, is expected to benefit immensely with the opening of the airport other than the economic boon it will bring to the Himalayan state.

The nearest Bagdogra airport in West Bengal is about 150 km from Gangtok and air passengers have to take the road after alighting there.