New Kangra airport to be reality soon

Raghav Guleria

Dharamsala, July 16

The much-awaited expansion of the Gaggal airport in Kangra district will be a reality soon, if the issuance of a notification under Section 19 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, is an indicator.

Deadline for land acquisition extended

The state government has extended the deadline for land acquisition for the Gaggal airport expansion till October 13, 2024. Under Section 19 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, it is mandatory to complete the process within a year. The preliminary notification for the expansion of the airport was issued on July 7 last year under Section 11 of the Act, showing the intention of land acquisition, in which khasra numbers were drafted. The declaration got delayed because of the stay order by the High Court followed by imposition of the Model Code of Conduct due to the Lok Sabha election.

The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet had also given an approval for the land acquisition and compensation plan for the families affected by the airport expansion.

The project aims to increase the runway length of the airport from the existing 1,372 metres to 3,110 metres. It would require 140 hectares of land and would cost more than Rs 2,700 crore.

The airport expansion would mean displacement of almost entire Gaggal town. An estimated 1,500 households in 14 villages would be affected by it.

While people of Kangra are eagerly awaiting the airport expansion as it would open new employment avenues, especially in the tourism sector, residents of Gaggal and the adjoining villages have raised objections to it, as it would mean a second dislocation for many in their lifetime. There are 15 Pong dam oustee families, besides 150 families in the area that had migrated from Pakistan in 1947.

The Department of Tourism in its submission to the Collector had termed the deemed objections raised by the members of the Gaggal Airport Expansion Affected Society against the proposed expansion of Kangra airport as untenable.

Hans Raj Chaudhary, a resident of Ichhi village and secretary of the Gaggal Airport Expansion Affected Committee, told the Tribune, “The proposed site is improper for such a mega project. A heavy downpour a week ago damaged a large portion of the airport wall posing a threat to the adjoining villages.” He said if the airstrip was expanded, it would affect surrounding villages of Dugyari, Rachhiyalu, Bhadiyada, Sanaura, Gaggal, Ichhi, Sahaura, Balla, Mataur, Jamanabaad, Abdulapur.

The affected residents are demanding “one rate for one project”, meaning same compensation for all villages on a par with Gaggal town, which is Rs 66 lakh per kanal.