The central government plans to invest up to Rs 13,000 crore for the construction of an airport in Andaman and Nicobar Islands under the Great Nicobar Islands development projects, ANI cited defence ministry sources as saying on Monday.
The airport will be open for both civilians and the Indian navy and is expected to be completed in five years. The Defence Ministry and Ministry of Civil Aviation will share the budget together.
The Great Nicobar Project is a strategic project which aims to strengthen India's presence in the Andaman Sea and Southeast Asia. The project seeks to balance port-led growth with calibrated environmental safeguards and protection of indigenous communities.
By combining strategic, economic, and ecological priorities, the project seeks to ensure that development in Great Nicobar is sustainable, inclusive, and aligned with national interests.
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Some of the main goals of the project include construction of a International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) with a capacity of 14.2 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit); Greenfield International Airport with a 4000 Peak Hour Passengers-PHP); a 450 MVA (Megavolt Ampere) gas and solar-based power plant; and a new township spanning 16,610 hectares.
"The development follows a sensitive and holistic approach. It considers the needs of indigenous communities and aims to protect the island's ecological resources. The plan evaluates social, cultural, and environmental impacts carefully and prioritises options that balance environmental, social, and economic goals," an official PIB release stated.
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The project will be carried out in three distinct phases and covers a total area of 166.10 square km, which includes 35.35 sq. km of revenue land and 130.75 sq. km of forest land.
Nicobar Islands are inhabited by the aboriginal Mongoloid tribes, the Shompens (about 237), who are hunter-gatherers; along with the Nicobarese (about 1,094), who live in coastal settlements and depend mainly on fishing for survival.
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