Pakyong Airport, an important civil airport in the Himalayan region, is located in which Indian state?

Introduction / Context:
Pakyong Airport is a notable aviation development because it is one of the first greenfield airports in a Himalayan state and provides direct air connectivity to a difficult mountainous region. Geography and current affairs questions frequently ask about the state in which this airport is located, since it represents a major infrastructural milestone. Correctly identifying the state where Pakyong Airport is situated shows awareness of recent developments in connectivity for India s north eastern and Himalayan regions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The airport mentioned is Pakyong Airport.
• It is known as a greenfield airport in a Himalayan setting with challenging terrain.
• The options given are Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram.
• We assume the airport is the well publicized project built to serve the state capital Gangtok and surrounding areas.

Concept / Approach:
The concept is to link the name Pakyong with the state capital Gangtok and the state of Sikkim. Pakyong Airport was developed to give Sikkim its own functional airport, as Sikkim previously lacked direct air connectivity and relied on airports in neighbouring states. Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram have other airports with different names. By recalling that Pakyong is associated specifically with Sikkim, we can select the correct state from the options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Pakyong Airport was highlighted in news as the first airport in Sikkim, improving direct connectivity to Gangtok. Step 2: Note that Pakyong is a place in Sikkim, located not far from the state capital Gangtok. Step 3: Check the options and identify Sikkim as one of the possible answers. Step 4: Recognize that Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram have other major airports, such as Leh, Itanagar area airports, and Lengpui, none of which are named Pakyong. Step 5: Conclude that Pakyong Airport is in Sikkim and select Sikkim as the correct option.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification follows from remembering media reports that celebrated Sikkim getting its first airport at Pakyong, described as a challenging engineering project in the Himalayan foothills. Exam compilations of important airports and infrastructure projects specifically list Pakyong Airport under Sikkim, often along with its elevation and runway details. No standard reference associates Pakyong with Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, or Mizoram. This consistent information across news and exam guides confirms that Sikkim is the correct state.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Jammu and Kashmir: This region has airports such as Srinagar and Leh, but Pakyong is not one of them and is not located there.

Arunachal Pradesh: Arunachal Pradesh has its own aviation projects and airfields, but Pakyong Airport is not situated in this state.

Mizoram: The main airport in Mizoram is Lengpui Airport, not Pakyong, so this option does not match the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes guess Arunachal Pradesh or Jammu and Kashmir because they associate mountainous airports primarily with those states. Another pitfall is generalizing that all new airports in the north east might belong to any of the north eastern states without recalling specific names. Confusing Lengpui in Mizoram with Pakyong is also possible. To avoid such errors, it is helpful to maintain a short list of important new airports and match them to their states during revision.

Final Answer:
Pakyong Airport is located in the state of Sikkim, so Sikkim is the correct answer.