Airport expansion: Rs 298 cr disbursed among landowners

As a step forward in the expansion of Gaggal airport in Kangra district that is vital for the growth of tourism in the region, the government has distributed Rs 298 crores among the land owners whose land is to be acquired in Gaggal area for expansion of the airport.

Sources here said that the government is distributing compensation among the people who are giving consent for handing over their lands willing for expansion of airport.

SDM Kangra, Ishant Jamwal, said that till date Rs 298 crore has been distributed as compensation among the land owners whose land was being acquired. The government had initially released Rs 500 crore for distribution among the land owners. “We have already received Rs 300 crores out of which an amount of Rs 298 crore has been distributed among the land owners,” he said.

The SDM said that a total of Rs 2300 crore would be required for acquisition of entire land that has been notified for expansion of Gaggal airport. Another Rs 700 crores has been proposed by the government for relief and rehabilitation of the people being uprooted due to airport expansion project, he said.

The sources said that the government was initially distributing Rs 500 crore to the people in the seven revenue Mohals situated across the Manjhi Khad.

For the airport expansion, land of about 1,200 families from 14 villages is to be acquired. For acquisition, the government has marked about 147 hectares (about 3847 kanals) of government and private land of 14 villages. In includes 123 hectares of private and 24 hectares of government land.

Bagh, Balla, Barswalkad, Bhedi, Dhugiyari Khas, Gaggal Khas, Jhikli Ichhi, Mugrehd, Sahoora and Sanaura villages under Kangra Assembly constituency are coming under the airport expansion. Apart from this, Rachialu, Jugehd, Bhadot and Kiodi villages under Shahpur Assembly constituency will come under its scope.

The expansion of Gaggal airport located in Kangra district had been given a push by the present Congress government. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had been actively pursuing the project of expansion of Gaggal airport since the new government took over. In the budget passed by Himachal government the government has kept a provision of Rs 2,000 crore for the expansion of Gaggal airport.

The locals, whose lands are to be acquired for expansion of Gaggal airport, have been opposing the project. However, the expert committee formed by the state government for assessing the social impact of the Gaggal airport expansion project, in its report, has stated that benefits of project overweigh the social impact on people who would be uprooted. The committee has urged the state government to consider the suggestions of people who would be uprooted regarding a satellite township that could be developed in a vicinity of 5 kilometres of the Gaggal airport.

An amount of Rs 400 crore was sanctioned by the Central finance commission for expansion of Gaggal airport during the stint of previous BJP government. The expansion of Gaggal airport was a major demand of the tourism industry of the area.