Surbung Airport in Falam Township, Chin State, the first major airport in the state, will open in September 2020, said U Ye Htut Aung, Deputy Director General of the Department of Civil Aviation.

Construction of the K 30 billion airport, which began in 2016-17, had originally been scheduled for completion in 2021-22. Last month though, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint gave instructions for construction to be completed in 2020 and for the airport to begin operating in September.

To complete the project within the deadline, more funds will be needed. “We currently have a budget of K5 billion a year. Another K10 billion will be needed to complete the project on time. We need to ask the ministry for the funds,” U Ye Htut Aung said.

The construction of the airport is being carried out across 1289 acres of land in Falam. The runway is expected to be about 2000 metres feet in length.

There are nine townships in Chin State. However, it is hard for people to move within the state due to the lack of reliable transport infrastructure.