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Expansion of Gaggal Airport: Compensation to be provided as per Land Acquisition Act, says Himachal CM
CM informs house that the government has already disbursed ₹1,960 crore for the project and is committed to completing the ₹3,500 crore expansion plan
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday informed that House that compensation would be provided as per the Land Acquisition Act to both landowners and non-landowning occupants affected by the expansion plans of Gaggal Airport. He added that rehabilitation and resettlement would also take into account families listed in ration cards and family registers.
CM’s statement came in response to the query raised by BJP MLA Pawan Kajal, who flagged concerns about 80–90 families residing in the Gaggal area for the past five to six decades on land allotted by panchayats. He had questioned that whether these families would be treated at par with private landowners in terms of compensation in case of displacement.
Further, talking on the expansion plans of Gaggal Airport in Kangra district, CM Sukhu said that the runway would be extended from the current 1,376 metres to 3,110 metres, making it one of the most significant aviation infrastructure upgrades in the state in decades.
Chief minister informed the house that the government has already disbursed ₹1,960 crore for the project and is committed to completing the ₹3,500 crore expansion plan. He added that the land acquisition for the expansion is targeted to be completed by the end of this year.
The discussion turned intense as BJP MLA Vipin Singh Parmar raised the issue of suspended flights under the UDAN scheme, pointing out that Dharamshala–Shimla connectivity has remained shut for the past 7–8 months. He sought clarity on whether the government would release Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to revive the routes.
In response, Sukhu said ₹10 crore has already been provided under VGF, but operators failed to sustain services. He added that the state has taken up the matter for new routes including Dharamshala–Shimla and Delhi–Shimla–Dharamshala, and announced plans to operationalise heliports in Chamba, Palampur, and Hamirpur by June this year, where helicopter services could be run under VGF.
Congress MLA Kewal Singh Pathania said nearly 70% of the airport area falls in his constituency and thanked the CM for pursuing the project with the Centre. He urged Members of Parliament from the state to take up the matter with the Union civil aviation minister and push for additional support, even suggesting that a resolution be brought in the House.
BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma raised concerns about a dedicated housing policy for displaced families and sought clarity on approvals from airport authorities, including whether a Letter of Engagement had been issued. The CM assured that these issues would be addressed.
