Guwahati : Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has stepped up attempts to expedite the long-haul expansion of the state's only air connectivity centre Dimapur Airport, in view of its national significance and increasing safety issues due to current operational constraints.
Though there has been considerable headway on various fronts, an important 18.8-acre land plot—held by Assam Rifles at present—is yet to be transferred, stalling Phase I of the Airports Authority of India's (AAI) Master Plan for phased development of the airport. The pending issue was the main point of a high-level inter-ministerial meeting chaired on 1 July in New Delhi by Abhijit Sinha, IAS, Additional Secretary (Police-II) in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The meeting, after persistent follow-ups by Chief Minister Rio and Chief Secretary Dr J. Alam, IAS, involved officials from the Transport Department, AAI, Dimapur Airport, and Assam Rifles. The Nagaland team emphasized that the delay in land transfer was the only obstacle to modernizing this vital regional infrastructure, which benefits not just Nagaland but also surrounding areas in Assam and Manipur within a radius of 100 kilometres.
The State Government has already transferred 17.9 acres of once-encroached land to AAI after a long legal process. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) also left 8.4 acres in favor of the expansion. Assam Rifles has also been provided alternative land at Shokhuvi, where there is now an existing fully operational training center.
ALSO READ: Arunachal Pradesh Records Strong Rs 1,200 Crore GST Collection, Indicating Good Economic Growth
In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Rio cautioned on the failure to move ahead with the airport expansion as this involved "serious safety and operational risks." He urged the MHA to pass the required directive, pointing out that since both the CRPF and State Government had completed their part, the Assam Rifles no longer had a legitimate reason to hold on to the land.
Chief Secretary Dr Alam also made a representation in a different communication to the Union Home Secretary, pointing out that Assam Rifles has offered to give up the land till formal sanction by the MHA. He made it clear that since the transfer is from one central agency to another, there is no question of structural compensation. "The transfer can be executed on an 'as-is-where-is' basis," he pointed out, requesting clearance at the earliest.
The State Government reaffirmed its commitment to Dimapur Airport expansion as both strategic imperative and economic driver. With the 1 July meeting reaching a turning point in inter-agency coordination, the ball is now in the MHA's court to issue the much-awaited directive and pave the way for Phase I construction to begin.
FIRST Business Portal addressing the potential of business capability of North East Region.
