E-Paper
Himachal: State to soon acquire land for airport expansion in Kangra
Himachal Pradesh to acquire 122 hectares for Kangra airport expansion, displacing 942 families. Objections hearings set from Oct 18 to Nov 11.
The Himachal Pradesh government will soon start the initial phase of land acquisition for the expansion of Kangra airport at Gaggal in Kangra district.
The collector-cum-land acquisition officer in a recent notification has declared the government’s intention to take possession of the land.
The Kangra airport expansion project at Gaggal requires 122 hectares of land in 14 villages to be acquired for public purpose: 10 villages in Kangra Tehsil and 4 villages in Shahpur Tehsil. The land is needed to expand the Gaggal (Kangra) Airport to international standards to promote tourism in the region.
The declaration and summary of rehabilitation and resettlement under section 19 of the RFCTLARR (Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement) Act 2013, was published last month after its deadline was extended in July.
“As such now, in accordance with the section 21 of RFCTLARR Act 2013, notice is being given for intimating to all concerned that the government intends to take possession of the land which is required for the ‘public purpose’ and that claims to compensations and rehabilitation and resettlement in the land made by all interested by appearing personally or by agent or advocate stating the nature of respective interest in the land and the amount and particulars of their claims to compensate for such interests, their claims to rehabilitation and resettlement along with their objections, if any, before collector on or before October 14, 2024,” the notification added.
Hearings of objections or claims
The hearing of the objections or claims will begin from October 18 and continue till November 11.
The proposed expansion of the airport, which has been opposed by the local population, would displace hundreds of families. At least 942 families in 14 villages would be affected by the proposed expansion, according to the estimates.
Earlier, the Kangra tourism department in its submission to the collector deemed objections raised by the members of the Gaggal Airport Expansion Affected Society Welfare Committee against the proposed expansion of the Kangra airport as untenable.
The project aims to increase the runway length of Kangra airport from the existing 1,372 metres to 3,110 metres.
According to the HP government’s social impact assessment (SIA) report released in May 2023, the proposed expansion would require a total of 122 hectares that would mean displacement of nearly the entire Gaggal township, located around 2km from the airport.
