The Assam government on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to commission pre-feasibility studies for five proposed greenfield airports in the state. The agreement, signed in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, targets site assessments at Manas National Park, Umrangshu, Majuli, Diphu and Charaideo.
Under the MoU, AAI will carry out initial technical and economic assessments — including site suitability, environmental considerations and estimated costs — to determine whether full feasibility studies and eventual development should follow. These pre-feasibility studies are the first formal step toward creating new airports.
Assam currently operates seven airports: Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (Guwahati), Jorhat, Tezpur, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Lakhimpur and Rupsi. The state government says the new greenfield projects are intended to expand air connectivity across its districts and strengthen links with the wider Northeast.
Chief Minister Sarma thanked AAI for taking up the work and said a greenfield airport at Manas would serve strategic and security needs while giving a major boost to wildlife tourism in the region. He said improved air access could help attract more visitors to protected areas and spur related local enterprises.
Sarma added that airports at Majuli, Umrangshu, Diphu and Charaideo would further regional connectivity and increase tourist footfall, driving local economic development. He suggested that the model of developing multiple greenfield airports could be replicated by other states.
The chief minister also urged AAI to consider upgrading Rupsi Airport into a full-fledged facility, citing its strategic proximity to the Siliguri Corridor — the narrow land link to India’s Northeast often called the “Chicken’s Neck.” He further pressed for enhanced international flight connectivity from Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport.
State officials say the combined push for greenfield development and improved flight operations aims to boost tourism, industry and commerce, strengthen strategic communication infrastructure, and reinforce Assam’s role as a gateway to Northeast and Southeast Asia.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/assam-government-signs-mou-with-airports-authority-of-india-for-pre-feasibility-study-of-five-greenfield-airports-1352752-2026-02-28?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-02-28 08:45:00
