The upgraded Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh was inaugurated by Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, in the presence of Air Marshal C. Hari Kumar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Eastern Air Command.

A flypast by a formation of three Sukhoi Su-30MKI air dominance fighter aircraft that took off from one of the forward EAC airbases was a highlight of the event. This was followed by a Su-30MKI also landing at the ALG. The touchdown by a frontline fighter jet of the IAF at the ALG is a ‘historic first’ in the predominantly hilly state of Arunachal Pradesh, which has several ALGs at varying altitudes.

The new runway surface and other infrastructure built are similar to the other upgraded ALGs that have been inaugurated in the recent months. Replete with facilities such as aprons for ground manoeuvring, Air Traffic Control Tower, perimeter road and a security wall, the ALG will facilitate operations of fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters of both civil and military operators.

The ALG at Pasighat will facilitate air connectivity with rest of the country and give a huge fillip to tourism in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. The pristine and picturesque landscape of Pasighat, on the banks of river Siang, will become accessible to the rest of the world. The unspoilt natural beauty of the area is sure to attract many a tourist, which in turn will usher in a new round of prosperity and happiness for the local population. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is in the process of setting up a civil terminal, the construction of which has yet to commence. Now the need of the hour is for all agencies to get together and make it happen.