With a view to strengthen air connectivity for the benefit of passengers in the difficult North-East region. The civil aviation ministry has cleared the setting up of a regional aviation hub at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. The proposed hub is expected to become operational early next year. Plans to set up the hub were finalised at a meeting between union minister for development of the north eastern region, Bijoy Krishna Handique, and the civil aviation minister Vyalar Ravi. Handique said regional operational hubs would be set up at Guwahati, Agaratala, Imphal and Dibrugarh airports. To start with operations would commence in Guwahati, which currently handles 40 flights a day. It was also decided to set up a composite training school for ground-level staff for navigation and aircraft maintenance at Lilabari. The institute would meet demand of ground handling and maintenance personnel that is going to arise once the proposed airport in the region becomes operational. Under the proposal three hangars would be set up at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. Initially, two hangars would be constructed at a cost of 3 crore rupees each. The North Eastern Council would fund the construction of the hangars. Hub operations would commence at Guwahati in about 10 months. New hangars would allow night-parking of aircraft at Guwahati. AIR correspondent reports, passenger helicopter services are currently suspended following two incidents involving Pawan Hans choppers. Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu and 17 passengers were killed at Tawang in two separate accidents last month.