Land acquisition to begin soon for approach lights at Gaya airport

Gaya: The process of land acquisition for the installation of a CAT (Category) approach lighting system at Gaya airport is set to begin soon. DM Shashank Shubhankar has asked the district land acquisition officer to immediately initiate the process and adhere to the prescribed timeline for early execution of the project.

The CAT approach lighting system is a precision visual aid used at airports to assist pilots during low-visibility conditions, enabling safe landings when fog, haze or poor weather reduces visibility, a problem that becomes acute during winter months.


The state govt had, on Aug 13 last year, sanctioned Rs 137 crore for acquiring 18 acres of land for the installation of CAT approach lights.

International airlines generally operate from Gaya airport during the tourist season from Oct to March. The frequency of poor visibility increases during Dec and Jan.

The Airports Authority of India requires 18 acres of land along the Gaya-Dobhi roadside to execute the CAT lighting project. The land proposed for acquisition belongs to 49 different people. On Monday, the district magistrate directed the district land acquisition officer to begin the acquisition process without any delay.

The circle officers (COs) of Gaya Town and Bodh Gaya have also been asked to update land records to facilitate a hassle-free acquisition process. Gaya being an international airport, utmost importance must be given to the land acquisition process, the DM told the COs concerned.

The runway expansion project at the airport, aimed at facilitating the landing and take-off of wide-body aircraft, is already in limbo due to acquisition-related disputes and subsequent litigation.

An additional 500 metres needs to be added to the existing 2,285-metre-long runway. The runway width also needs to be increased to 45 metres from the existing 30 metres to accommodate wide-body planes. Airlines across the world are gradually phasing out narrow-body aircraft and replacing them with wide-body planes, aviation experts said.