Kohima: Dimapur Airport’s long-overdue expansion, a lifeline for Nagaland and parts of the Northeast, hangs in the balance as a critical 18.8-acre land parcel remains locked in a bureaucratic tangle. Despite intensified efforts by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the land, currently under the occupation of Assam Rifles, is yet to be transferred, stalling Phase I of the Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) Master Plan. The issue took centre stage at a high-level inter-ministerial meeting in New Delhi on July 1, chaired by Abhijit Sinha, IAS, Additional Secretary (Police-II), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The meeting, a direct outcome of persistent follow-ups by CM Rio and Chief Secretary Dr. J. Alam, IAS, saw top brass from various departments, including Transport, AAI, Dimapur Airport, and Assam Rifles, in attendance. The Nagaland delegation unequivocally highlighted that the unresolved land transfer is the sole impediment to upgrading this vital regional infrastructure, which serves not just Nagaland but also parts of Assam and Manipur within a 100-km radius.
While the State Government has walked the talk, clearing a substantial 17.9 acres of encroached land after a protracted legal battle and successfully handing it over to AAI, and the CRPF vacating 8.4 acres in support of the expansion, the ball is now squarely in Assam Rifles’ court. The paramilitary force has even been allotted alternative land at Shokhuvi, where a fully operational training centre now stands, making their continued occupation of the airport land perplexing to state officials.
In a strongly worded letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Rio underscored the grave safety and operational risks posed by the inability to expand Dimapur Airport. He emphasised that with the CRPF and the State Government having fulfilled their commitments, there is no justifiable reason for Assam Rifles to retain the remaining land. “Multiple representations have been made, yet the approval remains pending,” Rio’s letter stated, urging the MHA for immediate intervention.
Adding to the chorus, Chief Secretary Dr. J. Alam, in a separate communication to the Union Home Secretary, clarified that Assam Rifles has expressed readiness to vacate, contingent on an MHA directive. Dr. Alam further pointed out that since this is a transfer between two Central Government agencies, no structural compensation is required. “The transfer can be made on an ‘as-is-where-is’ basis,” Dr. Alam stated, pressing for immediate clearance. The State Government has reiterated its unwavering commitment to the expansion of Dimapur Airport, viewing it as a strategic and economic imperative for the region. With the July 1 meeting potentially signalling a turning point in these prolonged inter-agency negotiations, all eyes are now firmly fixed on the MHA to issue the crucial directive, paving the way for the long-awaited land handover and kickstarting Phase I works.
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