Deadlock over land transfer stalls Dimapur Airport expansion

DIMAPUR — Ongoing efforts to expand Dimapur Airport, the solitary air gateway for Nagaland, have hit another roadblock as 18.8 acres of land currently under the occupation of the Assam Rifles remains un-transferred.

According to a DIPR update on Wednesday, the pending handover of said land has become the sole impediment to initiating Phase I of the airport’s long-overdue expansion project.

It explained that Dimapur Airport serves as a vital gateway not only for Nagaland but also for neighbouring regions within a 100-km radius in Assam and Manipur.

Also read: Eviction drive at Dimapur Airport seeks to reclaim 17.9 acres of encroached land

With passenger traffic steadily rising, the airport’s infrastructure is increasingly stretched.

Recognising the urgency, Nagaland government—led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio—has taken proactive steps to resolve the land issues and facilitate development, it stated.

“In line with this directive, the Transport Department, in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and relevant stakeholders, has been actively pursuing the release of 18.8 acres of land currently occupied by Assam Rifles, essential for Phase I of the Dimapur Airport expansion,” it added.

Chief Secretary Dr. J Alam has been spearheading the state’s coordination efforts with central bodies, particularly in matters involving land clearance and inter-departmental approvals.

Accordingly, the state government successfully cleared 17.9 acres of land from illegal encroachment after a prolonged legal battle and handed it over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Similarly, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vacated 8.4 acres under their control, paving the way for the expansion.

“The Assam Rifles have already been allotted alternate land at Shokhuvi village in Chümoukedima district, where a new Training Centre and School has been established and is now fully operational.

“Despite these positive developments, 18.8 acres out of 147 acres under the occupation of Assam Rifles remains un-transferred, delaying critical airport infrastructure work,” it stated.

In an effort to break the deadlock, a high-level meeting was held on July 1 in New Delhi.

The meeting, chaired by Abhijit Sinha, Additional Secretary (Police II), Ministry of Home Affairs, was a direct outcome of the sustained lobbying by the Nagaland government.

Participants included senior officials from the Transport Department of Nagaland, the Airports Authority of India, Dimapur Airport, and a representative from the Assam Rifles.

The central focus of the meeting was to expedite the release of the 18.8-acre plot required for Phase I development.

Prior to that, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, highlighting the operational and safety challenges posed by the delay.

He pointed out that the AAI’s Master Plan for phased airport development remains stalled at Phase I due to the pending land transfer.

“The state government and CRPF have done their part by vacating and handing over the required land. Assam Rifles already has a fully functional facility at Shokhuvi, negating the need to retain the current land.

“Multiple representations have been made, yet approval for land handover is still pending. The chief minister requested urgent instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs to facilitate the transfer and ensure timely commencement of developmental works,” it stated.

Reinforcing this plea, Chief Secretary Dr. J Alam also wrote to the Union home secretary. He noted that several meetings, including one as recent as June 18, have been held with Assam Rifles to resolve the issue.

While the Assam Rifles has expressed willingness to vacate, they are awaiting formal directions from the MHA. Alam clarified that since this is a “book transfer” between two central government entities—Assam Rifles and AAI—structural compensation does not apply and the handover can proceed on an “as-is-where-is” basis.

“The department, under the direction of the chief minister and chief secretary, continues to actively pursue this matter at the highest levels of government.

“The July 1 meeting in New Delhi marked a critical point of inter-agency dialogue, and it is now imperative for the Ministry of Home Affairs to issue a directive for immediate transfer of the said land from Assam Rifles to AAI and recognise the urgency and national significance of expanding the only airport in Nagaland,” it added.