The inauguration of a new airport terminal and an 80-foot-tall statue of Assam’s first chief minister are on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s itinerary during his two-day visit to Assam, during which he is also expected to interact with BJP workers and address public meetings.
The PM will unveil a statue of Gopinath Bardoloi, Assam’s first chief minister. The statue has been sculpted by eminent artist Ram Sutar, and stands outside the new terminal of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport, which has been named after him, officials said.
The new terminal of the airport was built at a cost of ₹4,000-crore.
Sutar, who died on Wednesday at the age of 101 years, had also sculpted a 125-ft-high statue of legendary Ahom general, Lachit Barphukan. This too had been unveiled by PM Modi in March, 2024. Barphukan is celebrated in history for defeating the Mughals at Jorhat.
In a post on X, Union Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the state-of-the-art terminal is designed to accommodate 13.1 million passengers annually, setting a new benchmark for sustainable and technological operations in India. He also praised the airport’s architecture, noting that it showcases Assam’s pristine natural treasures.
“Today, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji will inaugurate the state-of-the-art new terminal building of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. The nature-immersive architecture of the airport beautifully showcases the pristine natural treasures of Assam, while the intricate interior motifs take forward Prime Minister's vision of ‘Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi’,” he said.
India's first nature-themed airport terminal, the terminal's design draws inspiration from Assam's biodiversity and cultural heritage, with the theme "Bamboo Orchids". It makes use of about 140 metric tonnes of locally-sourced Northeast bamboo, complemented by Kaziranga-inspired green landscapes, japi motifs, the iconic rhino symbol and 57 orchid-inspired columns reflecting the Kopou flower.
A unique "Sky Forest" featuring nearly one lakh indigenous plants offers arriving passengers an immersive, forest-like experience.
After spending about 15 minutes at the inauguration, the Prime Minister will also address a public meeting just outside the terminal building, after which he will proceed for a road show towards the BJP’s state headquarters in Bashista area, where he will interact with party workers.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called the PM’s proposed BJP office visit a “historic occasion” for the party, saying this is the first time that a Prime Minister will visit the party office in the state.
“A warm welcome to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji to the land of Maa Kamakhya and Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev,” the chief minister said on social media platform X.
During Saturday and Sunday, “Adarniya Modi ji will usher in mega development initiatives for Assam and pay tributes to our brave martyrs,” he added.
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With the assembly elections scheduled early next year, the interaction with the BJP workers is significant, a party functionary said.
The Prime Minister will then spend the night at the state guest house in Koinadhora in Khanapara area of the city.
The second day of the visit is scheduled to include the PM’s interaction with 25 meritorious students of various schools during the ‘Pariksha pe Charcha’ programme, lasting around half an hour while sailing on the Brahmaputra river on a cruise ship called ‘Charaideo’.
PM will also visit the newly constructed ‘Swahid Smarak Kshetra’ to offer his tributes to 860 people who died during the Assam movement, a six-year-long violent anti-foreigner agitation that began in 1979.
He will later visit the martyrs’ gallery, where the busts of the 860 people have been placed, and will garland the statue of the first martyr, Khargeswar Talukdar. He will then leave for Dibrugarh and Namrup, where he will participate in the ‘Bhumi pujan’ of the ₹12,000 crore ammonia-urea fertiliser plant, marking a substantial impetus to the state’s growth and development, the officials said.
The PM will also address a public meeting at Namrup before leaving for New Delhi.
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