Guwahati, Sep 21 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday performed the Bhumi Pujan and laid the foundation stone for the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) ISTRAC Advanced Radar Research Facility (IARRF) at Chandrapur, marking a major step in strengthening the state’s scientific and technological infrastructure.
The facility, being established under ISRO’s Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) programme, is expected to enhance India’s capabilities in monitoring and tracking objects in space and protecting the country’s space assets.
The advanced research centre will be equipped with sophisticated radar systems and optical telescopes designed to support the tracking of space objects and strengthen India’s space situational awareness capabilities.
The Assam government has allocated nearly 200 bighas of land for the project, which is expected to expand the state’s participation in India’s growing space research ecosystem.
Speaking to the media after the foundation stone-laying ceremony, Chief Minister Sarma expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ISRO leadership for selecting Assam as the location for the advanced radar research facility.
Sarma said the establishment of the centre would place Assam on the country’s space research map and represent a significant advancement in the state’s scientific infrastructure.
He described the project as an important milestone in Assam’s transition towards new opportunities in science, technology and institutional development.
Reflecting on the state’s journey, the Chief Minister said Assam had moved beyond a period associated with unrest and was now witnessing the creation of institutions and opportunities for its people.
He added that the Chandrapur facility symbolised Assam’s entry into a new phase of space science and research, while highlighting the importance of advanced scientific infrastructure in shaping the state’s future.
The project is expected to contribute to India’s efforts to improve space object tracking and monitoring, while also bringing Assam into a specialised area of the country’s strategic scientific infrastructure.
–IANS
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