The new Terminal 2 at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati — inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 20, 2025 — remains non-operational weeks after its high-profile opening, with construction work still under way and questions mounting over why the building was unveiled before it was ready. Reporters from Northeast Now who visited the site found workers continuing interior work and soil piled up outside, underlining persistent unfinished elements even after the ceremony.
Critics have asked why authorities hurried the inauguration, with some suggesting the move was driven by political optics ahead of the Assam Assembly elections rather than by operational readiness. “What was the urgency? Why inaugurate an unfinished building? Is this governance or political showmanship?” said a frequent flyer who spoke on condition of anonymity.
On Monday, nearly two months after the inauguration, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that Terminal 2 would begin handling domestic flights from February 22, 2026 — a date that would place its first commercial operations 65 days after the December 20 opening. Even then, the new terminal will handle only domestic services; international flights will continue to operate from the old terminal.
That limited roll-out has prompted further questions. If the terminal is fully ready for domestic operations, critics ask why international services are being excluded. If it is not fully complete, how will operators ensure that domestic flights begin safely and smoothly while finishing work continues?
The Rs 4,000-crore terminal was built to boost capacity for Assam and the Northeast, with a design throughput of 13.1 million passengers a year. Instead of showcasing efficient delivery, the delayed operationalisation has fuelled accusations of “inaugurate first, complete later” headline-driven governance.
For travellers, however, ceremonial ribbon-cuttings count for little. What matters, passengers and experts say, is whether the infrastructure is genuinely ready to serve the public reliably and safely, not whether it has already been formally opened.
Original Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/guwahati-airports-new-terminal-inaugurated-but-construction-still-nn.html
Category: Assam,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2026-02-17 00:24:00
