Manipur: New ATC tower inaugurated at Imphal airport

Imphal: A new state-of-the-art air traffic control (ATC) tower to enhance the air traffic movement at the Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, Imphal was inaugurated on Wednesday.

It has all the latest technology at a time when Indian civil aviation is growing at a very impressive pace.

The inauguration was made by installing a dedicated approach control procedural unit and an aerodrome control unit (ACU) of the Imphal Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower.

The ACU in ATC monitors and manages aircraft movement at an aerodrome.

Several dignitaries, including Chipemmi Keishing, Director of the Imphal International Airport, were present.

As of April 2024, Imphal Airport is undergoing a Rs 720 crore (US$90 million) upgrade that includes a new ATC tower and control and technical block.

The new terminal building will be 28,125 sq m and will have an apron with four aerobridges and eight parking bays for Airbus A321-type aircraft.

The project is expected to be completed in the next 24 months.

The establishment of a separate control procedural unit will benefit the pilots and passengers.

The division of the control responsibility will not only mitigate frequent overstepping but also distribute the workloads among air traffic controllers thereby enhancing operations efficiency and ensuring safer air space, officials added.