“PM Narendra Modi is the torchbearer and architect of Assam and Northeast’s development:” Sarbananda Sonowal

New Delhi, December 20, 2025: The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the torchbearer and architect of Assam and the Northeast’s transformation, as the prime minister inaugurated the new terminal building of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal accompanied the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration ceremony in the presence of dignitaries. Modi also unveiled a statue of Bharat Ratna Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi at the airport.

Recalling the Prime Minister’s visit to Assam, Sonowal said that since 2014, the development landscape of Assam and the entire Northeast has undergone a rapid transformation under Modi’s dynamic leadership. A region that was once neglected during previous Congress governments has now emerged as one of the driving forces of India’s economic growth, he said, adding that the Northeast has risen as the nation’s “Ashtalakshmi” and a new engine of New India.

“The inauguration of the new terminal marks the beginning of a new chapter for international air connectivity in Assam. The decision to construct this terminal was taken through a memorandum of understanding signed during the first Advantage Assam summit in 2018, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the foundation stone for the project was also laid that year,” said Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Referring to Modi’s emphasis on “transformation through transport,” Sonowal said the new terminal building inaugurated today will serve as a major milestone in Assam’s journey toward prosperity and progress. For more than six decades, the state’s principal airport operated with limited capacity, he said, adding that Guwahati’s growing role as a gateway to Southeast Asia has made this expansion critical for strengthening connectivity and mobility.

Spread over 1.40 lakh square meters and nearly seven times larger than the previous terminal, the new facility will increase the airport’s annual passenger handling capacity from 3.4 million to more than 13 million. Built at a cost of nearly ₹4,000 crore, the terminal connects Guwahati with world-class aviation services, Sonowal said.

The minister also welcomed the unveiling of the statue of Bharat Ratna Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi at the airport in Guwahati. Bordoloi’s vision, courage and decisive leadership safeguarded Assam’s identity and existence during the most challenging phase of India’s freedom struggle, while strengthening the country’s unity and integrity.

“The great leader who secured Assam’s future now stands as a powerful symbol at India’s gateway to Southeast Asia,” Sarbananda Sonowal said, adding that Bordoloi’s exemplary service to national unity, integrity and development will continue to inspire generations in building a strong and developed India.