Assam Hands Over 70 Acres to ISRO for Advanced Radar Research Facility
Assam has provided nearly 70 acres of land free of cost to ISRO for a radar research facility at Chandrapur, which will track space activities and share data with scientific bodies.
The Assam government has allotted approximately 200 bighas, or nearly 70 acres, of land to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at no cost for an advanced radar facility near Guwahati. The land, located at Chandrapur, will host the ISTRAC Advanced Radar Research Facility (IARRF), run by ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the transfer during the foundation stone-laying ceremony and Bhoomi Pooja at the site on Monday. The event was attended by Assam Science and Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta, ISRO Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Space Dr V Narayanan, and ISTRAC Director M R Raghavendra.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sarma said the Chandrapur site was previously associated with a thermal power station. "Today, the same piece of land is set to host an important national project that will help the country in many ways," he said.
The radar centre is designed to track and study activity in space and will share its findings with the government and scientific institutions. Sarma told reporters after the event that the facility would firmly place Assam on the map in the field of space research.
The Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sanctioning the project in the state and expressed hope that Assam would soon emerge as a major centre for space research. He also assured ISRO of the state government's full support for any future expansion. "Not only this land, whatever help you need for expansion of this project, the Government of Assam is ready to offer all kinds of support, and there will be no limit to this," Sarma said, adding that the state was willing to collaborate beyond ISRO's current plans.