Lone State Lok Sabha Member of Parliament, Neiphiu Rio in a letter to Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has urged upon the latter to take up the proposed Chiethu Airport under Kohima district as a national project
In his letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Rio congratulated the government of India on approving the new Civil Aviation Policy and expressed the hope that under the new policy the far flung regions of the country, especially the north eastern region, would be better connected by air and that overall air service will improve.
While pointing out that Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, was one of the few State capitals that still do not have an Airport, Rio said development of Chiethu Airport has been a long felt desire of the people of Nagaland adding “we have been actively pursuing its realisation for the past decade.”
He reminded that the project was a political commitment of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee which could not be realised till date.
However, with the approval of the project under the new Civil Aviation Policy, Rio said “the entire State has welcomed the development.”
In view of the State capital not having an airport and the overall poor air connectivity in the State and region, the MP has requested the government of India to take up the Chiethu Airport as a national project.
He also urged the Prime Minister to give appropriate instructions to the concerned ministry and its officials to undertake development of air services and improvement of air connectivity in the north eastern region as topmost priority.