Residents of TDC colony protest against Pantnagar airport expansion plan

RUDRAPUR: The progress of the expansion of the

Pantnagar airport

, 15 km from

Rudrapur

, has hit another roadblock. Earlier, the project had faced opposition from residents of Sanjay and

Masjid

colony now locals of

TDC

colony have also registered their protest against land acquisition for the expansion of the only airport in the

Kumaon

region.

Sources said that now a new layout plan has been sent to the Airport Authority of India for approval. The Centre had, earlier, made budgetary provision of Rs 600 crore for the expansion of the airport that was announced first in 2015.

Two-and-a-half years ago, 571 acres was identified in Sanjay Colony and Masjid Colony for the expansion plan, but due to protests from residents and politicos, the land could not be acquired.

In July 2017, the AAI shelved the earlier plan and gave approved a new plan under which 571 acres was to be acquired from

GB Pant University

and it was promised that all expansion work would be completed by December this year. However, that too has faced opposition.

Harish Shah, a resident of TDC colony, said, “It’s been more than 50 years that we are living here. They are asking us to relocate from our ancestral homes when the runway can be constructed through the woods in south. We will resist any such action.”

Pantnagar

airport director, S K Singh, said, “AAI will develop this airport as a regional hub, which will also have transit flights to several international airlines. Under AAI’s new plan, land was to be acquired from three different areas — 16 acres in Pocket-A, 252 acres in Pocket-B, and 303 acres in Pocket-C.” It was decided that the airport will also have an aviation base camp for the Indian armed forces in an area of around 60 acres.

In July 2017, a 10-member team of experts visited the Pantnagar airport and gave consent to the plan. However, this plan too has been resisted by residents of TDC colony in Haldi (Pantnagar), who are protesting against the land acquisition process backed by local leaders.

“AAI has plans to develop the airport in Tier-2, but the land transfer process is still on. A new proposal to extend the project south has been sent to AAI. Also the AAI has handed over a 15-year probation report of Pantnagar run-way to Central Meteorological Department. If the new plan suits, it will be accepted,” Singh said.
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