Arunachal Pradesh — India’s largest northeastern state by area — spent decades without a proper airport in its capital city. Itanagar, the state capital, sat in a geography where road travel was the only option, and a journey to Guwahati that would take 45 minutes by air required most of a working day by road. That changed on 19 November 2022, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Donyi Polo Airport at Hollongi. Named after the indigenous sun and moon worship tradition of the Adi and other Arunachali tribes — Donyi meaning sun, Polo meaning moon — the airport carries cultural depth beyond its aviation function. It is the first greenfield airport and the largest in Arunachal Pradesh, built at a cost of ₹645 crore and designed to finally give the Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains a capital city air connection it could rely on.
Quick Overview: Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar
| Detail | Information |
| Official Name | Donyi Polo Airport |
| Also Known As | Hollongi Airport / Itanagar Airport |
| Location | Hollongi, Papum Pare District, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Airport Type | Public — Domestic (Greenfield) |
| IATA Code | HGI |
| ICAO Code | VEHO |
| Owner & Operator | Airports Authority of India (AAI) |
| Inaugurated | 19 November 2022 |
| Total Land Area | 320 hectares (approx. 685 acres) |
| Project Cost | ₹645 crore |
| Runway Length | 2,300 metres |
| Terminal Area | Approx. 3,500–5,100 sq. metres |
| Peak Hour Capacity | 200–300 passengers |
| Distance from Itanagar | ~22–25 km |
| Passengers (2024–25) | 1,70,296 |
Donyi Polo Airport Location: Hollongi in the Papum Pare Foothills
Donyi Polo Airport sits at Hollongi village in Papum Pare district, approximately 22 to 25 kilometres south of Itanagar. The airport’s address is Hollongi, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh 791123. It is directly connected to the state capital via NH-415, which includes a four-lane road link built specifically to support airport access.
The location at Hollongi was chosen after the Government of Arunachal Pradesh identified it in 2007 as a site with the flat terrain needed to accommodate a full-sized runway — a significant challenge across most of the state’s mountainous geography. Papum Pare district forms the gateway between Assam’s plains and Arunachal Pradesh’s hills, and the airport sits right at that topographic junction. The elevation is a relatively modest 328 feet above mean sea level, which is low compared to most airport sites in the northeast, and supports year-round ATR and narrow-body jet operations without the altitude performance penalties common at higher-elevation airstrips elsewhere in the state.
Donyi Polo Airport Code: IATA HGI and ICAO VEHO
The airport’s IATA code is HGI and its ICAO code is VEHO. HGI appears on all flight booking platforms, airline schedules, boarding passes, and baggage systems for travellers flying through Itanagar. The ICAO code VEHO places the airport in the VE block covering eastern India and the northeast. The airport is sometimes listed as Hollongi Airport or Itanagar Airport across older and third-party databases, but Donyi Polo Airport is the official AAI designation.
Donyi Polo Airport Terminal: Greenfield Infrastructure for the State Capital
The passenger terminal at Donyi Polo Airport was built as a modular structure covering approximately 3,500 to 5,100 square metres — figures across sources vary slightly depending on what ancillary areas are included. The terminal handles up to 200 to 300 passengers during peak hours, which aligns with the current traffic profile of a regional greenfield airport in its early years.
The building was designed with the needs of a newly connected capital city in mind. It includes check-in counters — eight counters are in operation — security screening, a departure lounge, baggage claim, and an arrival hall. Accessible toilets and facilities for passengers with disabilities are part of the terminal layout. LED lighting is used throughout the building and kerbside. The terminal has basic passenger amenities including seating areas, medical support infrastructure, Wi-Fi connectivity, and baggage handling services.
The runway is 2,300 metres long, which makes Donyi Polo the first airport in Arunachal Pradesh capable of handling Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-class narrow-body aircraft — a meaningful step up from the ATR-72 operations that define the state’s other airports. An air traffic control tower serves the airfield, and the apron is sized to handle the narrow-body jet operations the runway length supports.
Donyi Polo Airport Connectivity: Airlines, Routes and Getting to Hollongi
By Air: IndiGo was the first airline to operate from Donyi Polo Airport, launching Kolkata and Mumbai services from 28 November 2022, just days after inauguration. Current services connect Itanagar to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Chennai through IndiGo operations. Regional routes to Guwahati and Tezu also serve the airport through carriers operating northeast connectivity. Route availability should be verified on current airline platforms as schedules for smaller airports in the northeast are periodically updated.
By Road: The airport is approximately 35 minutes by car from Itanagar under normal traffic conditions, following the four-lane NH-415 road connection. Taxis and private cab services are available outside the terminal for onward travel. There are no dedicated bus services from the airport to the city at present, though the road quality on NH-415 makes cab access straightforward.
By Rail: Arunachal Pradesh does not have an extensive rail network. The nearest railway station with broad connectivity is Naharlagun, approximately 30 kilometres from the airport, connected to the Assam rail grid. From Naharlagun, passengers can access trains toward Guwahati and the broader Indian rail network.
Nearest Alternative Airport: For international travel, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati remains the primary gateway, approximately 400 kilometres from Itanagar by road.
Donyi Polo Airport Amenities: What Passengers Find at Hollongi
Donyi Polo Airport provides a practical set of facilities for a regional capital airport that entered service in 2022. Wi-Fi access is available across the terminal — an upgrade over older airports in the northeast region that lack this service. Seating areas in the departure lounge are adequate for peak hour passenger volumes. Medical support and first aid facilities are in place. Baggage handling and trolley services operate normally.
The terminal does not yet have an extensive food court or premium retail zone. Basic refreshments are available, and the amenity profile is appropriate for the airport’s current traffic volumes. Taxi and cab services operate from the terminal exit for ground transport.
The airport covers 685 acres and has been designed with expansion headroom — the modular terminal design allows for future capacity additions as passenger traffic grows beyond the current 170,000 annual passengers handled in 2024–25.
FAQs: Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar
Q1. What is the IATA code for Donyi Polo Airport?
The IATA code is HGI and the ICAO code is VEHO. The airport is also referred to as Hollongi Airport or Itanagar Airport.
Q2. When was Donyi Polo Airport inaugurated?
The airport was inaugurated on 19 November 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Commercial flight services by IndiGo began from 28 November 2022.
Q3. How far is Donyi Polo Airport from Itanagar city?
The airport is approximately 22 to 25 km from Itanagar, with travel time around 30 to 35 minutes via the four-lane NH-415 road.
Q4. Which airlines fly from Donyi Polo Airport?
IndiGo is the primary carrier with connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Chennai. Regional routes also operate within northeast India. Schedules should be verified before booking.
Q5. What makes Donyi Polo Airport significant for Arunachal Pradesh?
It is the first greenfield airport and the first in the state capable of handling Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 class aircraft, giving Arunachal Pradesh’s capital city direct air connectivity to major Indian metros for the first time.
