Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Gangtok: Sikkim Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba met with Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu in New Delhi to demand a total structural and geotechnical study of Pakyong Airport. Patchwork fixes fail. Subba argues that localised repairs cannot solve the persistent safety issues plaguing the facility.
The airport sits on a hill near Pakyong town. It relies on heavy soil reinforcement and slope stabilisation to function. These measures haven't stopped the trouble. "Localised solutions alone may not make the area any safer. A holistic assessment is essential to ensure the long-term safety and resilience of Pakyong Airport," Subba told the minister.
The Airports Authority of India runs the site. Operational status remains fragile. Bad weather constantly disrupts flights. Officials suspended the Pakyong-Kolkata and Pakyong-Delhi routes in June 2024. They also re-evaluated the Pakyong-Guwahati route under the UDAN scheme. Subba wants the ministry to prioritise this study immediately to protect a vital link for Sikkim.
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