Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set visit Sikkim on 23 September to inaugurate the state's first airport at Pakyong, a senior official has said.
The stunning greenfield airport, located 30km from capital Gangtok, has been built at a height of 4,500 feet in an inhospitable terrain. Once open, it will put Sikkim on the aviation map.

Once inaugurated, it will be Sikkim’s first and India’s 100th airport.  The mountain state is the only one in the country without a functional airport.  

After inaugurating the airport, PM Modi will address a public meeting at St Xavier’s School in Pakyong and return to New Delhi the same day, Chief Secretary A K Shrivastava said after chairing a high-level meeting.

The airport is located in Pakyong, 30 kms from capital Gangtok.

The stunning greenfield airport has been built at a height of 4,500 feet in an inhospitable terrain.

"I am very happy to share that the hon'ble prime minister is visiting Sikkim for the second time, and this, time he will be inaugurating the Pakyong airport, which is ready and has undergone trial on two occasions in the month of March 2018," the chief secretary said.
The state government has been intimated by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Union Civil Aviation Ministry about PM Modi's visit and the airport inauguration, he said.
After the formal inauguration of the airport on September 23, the commercial operation of flights will commence from the airport in the first week of October, the chief secretary said.

(With inputs from PTI)

POSTED BY : VIPUL KOUL