Itanagar, August 09: The Arunachal Pradesh government today said the Defence Ministry has rejected a proposal to construct an airport at the Buddhist town of Tawang as it is located close to the Sino-India border. “They (Defence ministry) have rejected the proposal (for construction of Tawang airport) on the ground that it is close to the Sino-India border,” Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu told reporters here.
“However, I have taken up the issue with Defence Minister A K Antony and he has assured me that he would relook into the demand,” he said. Currently, Tawang is linked by a daily helicopter service from Guwahati via Bhutan.
Khandu alleged that even though the clearance for a greenfield airport at Itanagar has been obtained, the civil aviation ministry is delaying its construction. Eight unused advanced landing grounds in different parts of the state have been handed over to the Defence Ministry for their revival, he said.
—-PTI—