Gaggal airport expansion compromised: Congress

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, October 26

The expansion of Gaggal airport in Kangra district has emerged as a major election issue.

Congress leaders like AICC secretary Sudhir Sharma, who is contesting from Dharamsala, and AICC secretary RS Bali, who is contesting from Nagrota Bagwan, have been accusing the government of compromising the expansion of the airport for setting up a new airport in Mandi.

The Congress has been accusing the government of bias against Kangra district for not being able to bring to ground the proposal for expansion of the airport.

BJP leaders, on the other hand, have been maintaining that the government got Rs 400 crore sanctioned from the Central Finance Commission for expansion of the airport.

The BJP leaders were finding it hard to explain as to why the project has been grounded. Interestingly, in Kangra Assembly constituency, BJP candidate Pawan Kajal was against the expansion of the airport on the plea that it would lead to displacement of a large number of people from the area.

However, the expansion was a major demand of the tourism industry. The hotel associations of Kangra have been demanding the expansion of the airport. They have been pleading that airfares from Delhi to Kangra were among the highest in the country as only small planes can land here. However, if the airport was expanded, bigger planes would land here and bring more tourists with reduced airfares. They have been demanding that like J&K and the Northeastern states, the Union government should subsidize airfare to HP.

The airport is proposed to be expanded in two phases. Sources said the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to expand the airport from current length of 1372 metres to 1900 metres in first phase. In the second phase, the length is proposed to be increased from 1900 metres to 3110 metres.

The sources said for the first phase of expansion, the AAI would have to construct a bridge over the Manji river flowing through the areas. The proposal was mooted to either construct a bridge over Manji river for expansion of airport or to divert the river. The IPH officials present declined the feasibility of diverting the river. The structure strength and design of the bridge to be constructed over Manji river that can sustain the weight of the planes that land at the airport were going on, the sources said.

The Union Ministry of Finance had sanctioned a grant of Rs 400 crore for its expansion. Initially, a proposal was mooted for acquisition of about 144 hectares for the expansion, including 120 hectares private land. However, the proposal are still confined to papers.

Proposed to be expanded in 2 phases

• The Gaggal airport is proposed to be expanded in two phases
• The AAI has decided to expand the airport from current length of 1,372 metres to 1,900 metres in first phase
• In the second phase, the length is proposed to be increased from 1,900 metres to 3,110 metres