‘8-decade-old dream come true’: Chhattisgarh’s northern tribal belt gets first airport

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually inaugurated the Maa Mahamaya Airport in Ambikapur city of Surguja district.

Sprawled across 365 acres of land, the airport was built at a cost of Rs 80 crore. A 72-seater aircraft can land on its airstrip and the airport has the capacity to handle 5 lakh passengers annually.

The airport offers a more cost-effective and time-saving access to airports for over 10 lakh people in the region. (Express)

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said it was a historic moment. “An eight-decade-old dream… has come true. It is a crucial step in integrating our tribal communities and remote areas into the mainstream of development,” he said.

The airport offers a more cost-effective and time-saving access to airports for over 10 lakh people in the region. It now connects them directly to cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Jabalpur, Raipur, Jagdalpur, and Bilaspur.

The CM said: “Local businesses, such as handicrafts, cottage industries, and agricultural products, can now easily reach other parts of the country.”

Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka said: “The airport will help in overall development of this region, and Surguja will rise as an economic and cultural centre in India.”