Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the new terminal building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati during his two-day visit to Assam. The Prime Minister will also unveil development projects worth around ₹15,600 crore across the state.
Sharing photographs of the new terminal on social media platform X, Modi described it as a major boost to Assam’s infrastructure. “Increased capacity means better ‘Ease of Living’ and a boost for commerce as well as tourism,” he wrote.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the inauguration, calling it a landmark project. “The people of Assam are eagerly awaiting your arrival… for the dedication of India’s first nature-themed airport terminal. This has been possible due to your leadership and commitment towards boosting Assam as a key growth engine,” Sarma said in a post on X.
Inspired By Assam’s Nature, Culture
The newly inaugurated Terminal 2, also known as the ‘Bamboo Orchids’ terminal, is India’s first nature-themed airport terminal. Its design draws inspiration from Assam’s biodiversity and cultural heritage, particularly the kopou phool (foxtail orchid) and the extensive use of locally sourced bamboo. The design was earlier unveiled by Modi and Sarma during the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit.
Built at a cost of around ₹4,000 crore, the terminal spans nearly 1.4 lakh square metres and is designed to handle up to 13.1 million passengers annually. Officials said the expanded capacity, along with major upgrades to the runway, airfield systems, aprons and taxiways, will significantly enhance connectivity and support economic integration across all eight northeastern states.
Bamboo, Biodiversity, Modern Design
Key features of the terminal include the use of around 140 metric tonnes of Northeast bamboo, Kaziranga-inspired green landscapes, japi motifs, the iconic rhino symbol and 57 orchid-inspired columns reflecting the kopou flower. A distinctive ‘Sky Forest’, featuring nearly one lakh indigenous plants, offers arriving passengers an immersive, forest-like experience.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya hailed the new terminal as a major milestone in India’s aviation and infrastructure journey, saying it would transform.
Watch Inside Guwahati’s New Airport Terminal