The regional airports/airstrips can play a vital role in enhancing air connectivity and in turn boost up the economy. A quite few number of airstrips from the British days are lying unused in different parts of Assam, particularly in the upper Assam districts and the possibility of using the same for improving connectivity is being explored. However, for that, the Ministry of Civil Aviation will have to play a major role, while, private entrepreneurs would also have to come forward in this regard says Raju Ranjan Gogoi- An Aviation entrepreneur from North EastIndia.
Thanks to civil aviation ministry for implementing that nation’s first civil aviation policy which emphasis on regional connectivity with stressed on North East region. The idea of making use of the abandoned airstrips cropped up during a meeting between Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju . The civil Aviation minister has assured every possible assistance to state govt to develop the airstrips and enhance connectivity with South Asean countries in line with Act East policy. However, the concept is in the preliminary stage only.
As per Raju Ranjan Gogoi a number of abandoned airstrips could be utilised in the days to come to improve connectivity not only in Assam but also in other parts of the region. He said that though the exact number of such abandoned airstrips is not immediately available, it is a fact that a number of airstrips constructed by the British during the World War II are lying abandoned and in fact, the Government organized the Dihing-Patkai festival on one such abandoned airstrip near Margherita. He pointed out that several other airstrips including the Rupshi airport in Dhubri district , are lying unused for years and the possibility of making use of those could be explored.
Raju Ranjan Gogoi being an aviation enthusiast personally visited and explored few number of airstrips/helipads available in private tea gardens of Assam , this airstrips are utilized by the tea owners/officials for their personal use. According to records available with the Government, at least 18 airstrips are in possession of the tea gardens and companies including Williamson Magor and around 10 of those are in usable condition. He said that of the tea companies having airstrips, only Wialliam Magor is using those for visits of senior officials. Behora Airstrip (Golaghat district) is completely in use at present Revival of Margherita Airstrip can be major boost to the region, remember the coal field of borgolai, ledo , digboi oil refinery (IOC) and the tea gardens are the major source of revenues for the authorities if at all airstrip revived.
Revival of Rupsi airport can be a major boost for the people of Kokrajhar and Dhubri as presently they need to travel to Guwahati to board their flight onwards. If the dialogues can be established between Magor tea company and the state govt, the Behora airstrip can e utilized for tourism purpose as its just 20 ms away from kaziranga national park. The major source of revenue for the authorities will come from tourist, numaligarh refinery etc.
There need a joint collaboration between State Government and Centre to making use of this abandoned airstrips for improving connectivity and the Ministry of Civil Aviation would have to deal with the matter with support from the private entrepreneurs would also have to come forward for operating small aircrafts by using the abandoned airstrips.
Raju Ranjan Gogoi in his start up entity Radiant NE Aviation & Travel support working closely with the small aircraft operators based in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai , making them aware of these airstrips potentials. He is also meeting officials, authorities of the region and stressed on marketing the potential of these airstrips, upgrade the infrastructure and to form a aviation management body under the state govt. Most of the state govts have their directorate of civil aviation under civil aviation ministry, those who don’t have separate civil aviation ministry works under tourism ministry. Assam should have a separate body/directorate of civil aviation who can dedicatedly look after the aviation projects.
India has witnessed protest movements, student uprisings, anti-corruption campaigns and meme wars before. But perhaps no recent phenomenon captures the frustration of India’s younger generation as sharply as the sudden rise of the “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP).
What started as an internet joke has rapidly evolved into a national political conversation.
The movement emerged after controversial remarks attributed to Supreme Court judge Surya Kant during a hearing, where unemployed youth and activists were allegedly compared to “cockroaches” and “parasites.” Though later clarifications suggested the remarks were directed at fake-degree holders and not unemployed youth generally, the...
Dudhnoi, May 22: A day-long capacity building programme for agri-export oriented stakeholders was organized by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority in collaboration with ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra Goalpara at the KVK campus in Dudhnoi on May 18, 2026.
The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from nearly 80 farmers and members of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) from different parts of Goalpara district. The initiative aimed to create awareness about export opportunities in the agricultural sector and equip stakeholders with knowledge on export procedures and support mechanisms.
The programme began with...
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Guwahati Off-Campus on Saturday held its 12th Convocation for students who graduated in 2025 at the Zubeen Garg Auditorium of Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University (KKHSOU) in Guwahati.
The convocation was attended by Gauhati High Court Judge Justice Soumitra Saikia as the chief guest, along with TISS Chancellor and former UGC Chairperson Prof. D.P. Singh, TISS Vice Chancellor Prof. Badri Narayan Tiwari, Officiating Registrar Dr. Narendra Mishra and Dean Academic Affairs Prof. Sunil D. Santha.
Several dignitaries, including officials from KKHSOU, OKDISC and ICSSR-NERC, and Assam government adviser Dr. Keshav Kumar, IPS (Retd.), were...
Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the Geneva-based global media safety and rights body, has expressed concern over the continued press censorship in Myanmar, as the military junta authorities have recently revoked the licenses of three more independent news outlets. The junta’s information ministry had lately restricted the publication of Myaelatt Athan, Red News Agency, and Asia Citizens News Agency, citing different sections of the law.
Mentionable is that the South Asian nation of 55 million people witnessed a coup on 1 February 2021, when a democratically elected government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted by the then military chief Min Aung Hlaing. Since then, the junta has revoked...
A grassroots effort to resurrect Spirit Airlines has gone viral after being launched by Hunter Peterson, an aviation enthusiast who has spoken publicly about being autistic and his lifelong interest in airplanes.
The campaign, organized through LetsBuySpiritAir.com, calls for a “community-owned airline” model in which passengers, employees and supporters would collectively fund and govern a rebooted version of the bankrupt budget carrier. The proposal spread quickly across TikTok, Reddit and X, drawing millions of views under the hashtag #Spirit2.0.
Peterson, 24, a content creator, gained attention after posting a video last week in which he said, “I’m kind of autistic, and I...
Scientists conducting the 5th Khangri Glacier Expedition in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district have reported alarming geomorphological changes in the Khangri Glacier, including the formation of a potentially dangerous proglacial lake that could trigger a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in the Mago Chu Basin.
The expedition was jointly conducted by the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies in collaboration with the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research and North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology. The scientific mission began on May 4 in the transboundary Mago Chu Basin, a critical headwater region of the larger Brahmaputra river system.
According...
Heavy pre-monsoon rainfall has caused multiple breaches, locally known as “rain cuts”, in the Ulfa dyke at Panigaon in Assam’s Lakhimpur district, raising fresh concerns of flooding in the region.
The 3.7-km-long agri-bund embankment—stretching from Jorkhat-Boniyagaon to Pub-Aamtola Nepaligaon under Pachim Telahi Gaon Panchayat—is popularly known as the Ulfa dyke. It was originally constructed in 1989 by members of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) with community participation.
According to reports, continuous rainfall over recent weeks has led to the formation of more than 20 rain cuts along the embankment, significantly weakening its structure ahead of the...
A district-level convening of humanitarian organisations and civil society groups was held in Jorhat at the premises of the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), Dhekiakhowa, focusing on Community Feedback Mechanism (CFM) and flood preparedness.
Organised by NEADS in collaboration with the State Inter Agency Group and Roots to Branches Foundation, with support from UNICEF Assam, the meeting brought together civil society representatives, district authorities, and local humanitarian actors to strengthen coordination ahead of the flood season.
The session opened with a welcome address by Tirtha Prasad Saikia, who underscored the importance of community-centred approaches...
In a grim reminder of the city’s crumbling urban infrastructure, four lives were lost within 48 hours after heavy rains triggered widespread artificial flooding across Guwahati. What should have been a seasonal downpour instead exposed a deadly mix of neglected drains, poor planning, and administrative failure.
The first victim, Payel Nath Das (around 30), a Dharapur resident working at a jewellery shop on GS Road, met a tragic end on the night of April 19. At around 9:30 pm, while wading through knee-deep water at Maligaon Chariali, she slipped into an uncovered roadside drain concealed beneath floodwaters. Her body was recovered 150–250 metres away the next morning by SDRF personnel...
Voting for the Assam Assembly elections gathered steady momentum through the morning hours on April 9, with scenes from across the state reflecting a strong and participatory democratic exercise. By mid-morning, polling booths were already witnessing long queues, as men and women, young voters and the elderly alike, stepped out early to cast their votes. The initial hours after 9 AM saw a smooth and peaceful polling process, backed by visible security presence and efficient booth management.
In Guwahati, the day unfolded with a calm yet purposeful energy. Polling stations across the city saw a steady stream of voters, many arriving with family members, some even accompanied by children,...
Thanks to civil aviation ministry for implementing that nation’s first civil aviation policy which emphasis on regional connectivity with stressed on North East region. The idea of making use of the abandoned airstrips cropped up during a meeting between Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju . The civil Aviation minister has assured every possible assistance to state govt to develop the airstrips and enhance connectivity with South Asean countries in line with Act East policy. However, the concept is in the preliminary stage only.
Add new comment