It was in October last year Chief Minister Pema Khandu hinted about a possibility of an airport coming up at Tawang , Arunachal’s  prominent poster for tourism. And with his last Thursday’s announcement that Airports Authority of India has identified land in the district for establishing airstrip, it’s now confirmed that we are going to have further aerial connectivity.

It will be no exaggeration to say that Tawang has the power to inject ultimate delight in tourists who are mostly, nature lovers, spiritual seekers as well as  adventure admirers. Without paying an actual visit it would be hard to imagine that a place set at an elevation of 10,000 feet above sea level has so much to offer. Monasteries, waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, Bong Bong waterfall, Sela Pass and Pangang Teng Tso lake, the list is unending. No wonder it is these ‘magnets’ which pulls visitors throughout the year.

Thus there can be no doubt that an airport at Tawang will be a shot in the arm for its tourism potential. Beside this, it is also pertinent to note that it will be of great strategical significance to India given the fact that China has already taken up the process of building fast three new airports near the border in Tibet which is not a welcome sign. Thus, the construction of airport at Tawang promises to be the  double-edged sword which will not only help from the defence point of view but will also improve the socio-economic  fabric  of this   remote border district.

It is also encouraging to observe that a realization has finally ushered in that connecting Arunachal to mainland India can be easier aerially in comparison to road connectivity, thanks to the Look East policy.There should be no room for any controversy that   airports are key to regional prosperity. It is a universal acceptance that air connectivity is crucial for economic growth of any region, a real catalyst for overall progress.

Again, as everything is at the nascent stage it should be high time to learn from the Hollongi chapter and make sure that such mistakes are avoided. It is a grief for every Arunachalee that this dream project which was scheduled to be completed quite a few years back is still at its infancy.

We all know the reasons for such inordinate delays and without harping on them it will be rational to tread the path which will ensure  us a less bumpy ride if not a total silky sailing. If transparency, accountability and the motto to place welfare above parochial politics are the basics for success of any endeavour, they must be strictly adhered to.