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The historic Rupsi Airport, once a strategic military airfield during World War II and later a neglected chapter in Assam's aviation history, may now be preparing for its most significant transformation yet.
During a Facebook Live interaction on Sunday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed that the state government is exploring the possibility of developing Rupsi Airport into a major logistics hub, potentially turning it into a key centre for trade, commerce, and connectivity in western Assam. The story of Rupsi Airport dates back to the pre-Independence era. Located in what was then part of the Bengal Province, the airport was constructed by the British during the Second World War primarily for military operations. Spread across nearly 2,500 bighas of land, the airfield was designed to facilitate the movement of troops, military equipment, and war supplies. For its time, the airport boasted impressive infrastructure. It featured a 6,000-foot runway, a terminal building, vehicle parking facilities, and as many as 52 aircraft hangars, highlighting its strategic importance in the Allied war effort. Following Independence, the region became part of Assam's undivided Goalpara district, later falling under Dhubri district and today forming part of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). With the end of the war, Rupsi gradually transitioned from a military airbase into a civilian airport. During the 1960s, Dakota aircraft operated regular services from Rupsi to Kolkata via Cooch Behar and Siliguri, providing an important air link for western Assam. In 1980, Air Doot introduced flight services between Rupsi and Guwahati's Borjhar Airport. However, the service was discontinued the following year, and the airport eventually slipped into decades of inactivity. A new chapter began when the Government of India selected Rupsi Airport for revival under the UDAN-2 (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) regional connectivity scheme. In the first phase, the Centre sanctioned Rs 40 crore for runway reconstruction and the construction of a boundary wall around the airport premises. The second phase commenced on February 22, 2019, and included the construction of a modern passenger terminal, Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, security personnel quarters, and other supporting infrastructure. For this phase, the Central Government released an additional Rs 69 crore. The extensive reconstruction breathed new life into one of Northeast India's oldest airports, paving the way for the resumption of commercial flight operations after decades of silence. While the airport's revival restored air connectivity to western Assam, the latest proposal points towards a much broader vision. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's remarks suggest that Rupsi could evolve into a dedicated logistics and cargo hub, leveraging its strategic location near the India-Bangladesh border and important regional trade corridors. A logistics hub at Rupsi could facilitate the transportation of agricultural produce, fishery products, horticultural goods, industrial commodities, and e-commerce consignments. Such a development would benefit districts including Dhubri, Kokrajhar, South Salmara-Mankachar and Goalpara of Western Assam; besides serving neighbouring parts of Meghalaya and North Bengal. The airport's geographical location also offers significant opportunities for strengthening regional and international trade connectivity. With improved cargo infrastructure, Rupsi could potentially emerge as a gateway linking Northeast India with neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar. Such a development would complement India's Act East Policy and strengthen economic integration across the region. From serving as a wartime military airfield to becoming a civilian airport, and from decades of neglect to a modern revival under the UDAN scheme, Rupsi Airport has repeatedly reinvented itself over the course of nearly eight decades. If the government's latest vision materialises, the historic airport may once again redefine its role, not merely as a centre for passenger movement, but as a powerful engine of economic growth, trade, investment and regional development. For Rupsi Airport, the journey from a World War II airstrip to a proposed logistics hub is not merely a story of infrastructure. It is a story of resilience, revival, and the promise of a new future for western Assam and the wider Northeast. (ANI)
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