Assam govt plans second terminal at Guwahati airport ahead of T2 inauguration

Guwahati: The Assam government has begun planning for a second terminal at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi (LGB) International Airport, ahead of the inauguration of the new terminal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 20.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that the state is considering an additional terminal to meet the expected rise in passenger traffic and the airport’s growing regional importance.

According to Sarma, planning for the second terminal is already underway, and all operations will be shifted to the new terminal once it is inaugurated.

He added that the existing terminal will eventually be phased out. Until then, international flights will continue to operate from the old terminal due to customs and other requirements, but ultimately, the old terminal will be closed.

The new Bamboo Orchids Terminal, designed to handle 13.1 million passengers annually, is expected to boost air connectivity between the Northeast and Southeast Asia.

Operated by Guwahati International Airport Limited (GIAL), it is scheduled to become operational in the first quarter of next year.

Officials said the terminal is designed to be more than just an infrastructure upgrade. It aims to establish Guwahati as a key gateway for the Northeast, combining cultural identity with improved connectivity and economic growth.

The terminal is expected to support Assam’s tea, agricultural, handloom, and floriculture sectors, while attracting tourism and investment from ASEAN countries.

The second terminal at LGB International Airport is planned as a strategic link between the Northeast’s entrepreneurial potential and Southeast Asia’s markets.

It will provide faster access to international destinations for trade and smoother entry into regional eco-tourism circuits, including Kaziranga, Majuli, and Sualkuchi, as well as neighbouring states such as Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Bhutan.

Guwahati airport is expected to play a key role in improving connectivity and economic engagement across the Northeast and beyond, as expansion plans move forward.