PM Modi begins 2-day Assam visit, inaugurates Rs 4,000 Cr Guwahati Airport terminal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Assam on Saturday for a two-day visit marked by major infrastructure inaugurations, public engagements and cultural tributes, underscoring the Centre’s focus on connectivity, development and regional identity in the Northeast.

Welcoming the Prime Minister, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Assam was honoured to host Modi on the land of Maa Kamakhya and Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, adding that the visit would usher in “mega development initiatives” while paying tribute to the state’s brave martyrs.

Soon after his arrival in Guwahati, Modi unveiled an 80-foot-tall statue of Assam’s first chief minister, Gopinath Bardoloi, outside the new terminal of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport, named in the leader’s honour. The statue was sculpted by eminent artist Ram Sutar, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 101. Sutar had also created the 125-foot statue of legendary Ahom general Lachit Barphukan at Jorhat, unveiled by Modi in March 2024.

The Prime Minister then inaugurated the newly constructed airport terminal, described by officials as the country’s first nature-themed airport . Built at a cost of around ₹5,000 crore including ₹1,000 crore earmarked for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities the project is aimed at developing Guwahati as a key aviation hub for the Northeast and a major gateway to Southeast Asia.

Spanning 1.4 lakh square metres, the terminal has been designed by Indian architects and blends advanced technology with sustainability and regional aesthetics. Named ‘The Bamboo Orchids’ , the terminal draws inspiration from Assam’s iconic kopou phool (foxtail orchid) and indigenous bamboo varieties from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, celebrating the ecological and cultural richness of the region.

Officials said around 140 metric tonnes of locally sourced bamboo have been used in the interiors, setting a new benchmark for sustainable airport construction in India. The terminal also features Kaziranga-inspired landscapes, rhino motifs symbolising strength and calmness, traditional Assamese japis in its design elements, and 57 orchid-inspired columns across arrival and departure areas. Arriving passengers will experience a ‘sky forest’ featuring nearly one lakh plants from 100 species of local flora.

Equipped with DigiYatra-enabled processing, smart check-in systems, automated tray retrieval security lanes and naturally lit interiors, the terminal is designed to handle 13.1 million passengers annually by 2032 . During the 2024-25 financial year, Guwahati airport handled 6.5 million passengers, highlighting the region’s rapidly growing aviation demand.

The transition from the old terminal to the new one is scheduled to begin in February, with domestic flights operating first. By the end of March, both domestic and international operations will shift entirely to the new terminal, while the existing terminal will be converted into a cargo hub. Future plans also include integrated domestic and international cargo facilities to strengthen regional supply chains.

Following the inauguration, Modi addressed a public meeting outside the terminal before proceeding on a road show to the BJP’s state headquarters at Basistha, where he interacted with party workers. Chief Minister Sarma described the visit as historic, noting it was the first time a sitting Prime Minister had visited the BJP’s state office in Assam ahead of Assembly elections scheduled early next year.

The Prime Minister spent the night at the state guest house in Koinadhora, Khanapara.

On the second day of his visit, Modi is scheduled to interact with 25 meritorious students as part of the ‘Pariksha pe Charcha’ programme aboard the cruise ship Charaideo while sailing on the Brahmaputra river. He will later visit the newly built ‘Swahid Smarak Kshetra’ , dedicated to the memory of 860 people who lost their lives during the Assam Movement that began in 1979, and pay tributes at the martyrs’ gallery.

The Prime Minister will then travel to Dibrugarh and Namrup to lay the foundation stone for a ₹12,000-crore ammonia-urea fertiliser plant, a project expected to boost domestic fertiliser production, support agriculture, generate employment and drive industrial growth in the state. Modi will also address a public meeting at Namrup before returning to New Delhi.