Dilly-dallying approach

24/05/2017

The up-gradation of strategically important Leh airport, one of the world's highest airfields, has remained victim of lack of coordination between all the concerned agencies and despite lapse of several years nobody is in a position to specify time-frame for start of work on this Rs 200 crore worth project. Located at 10,683 feet above the sea level and is considered as one of the world's highest airfields, was mooted over four years back as the existing passengers handling capacity is grossly inadequate. It was officially stated at that time that with the expansion/up-gradation project which involves construction of new terminal building and new parking bays at the airport the peak hour passenger capacity will go up to 800 from the current capacity of 250 passengers. The exercise was started to get the required chunk of land from Indian Air Force (IAF) and hand it over to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) so as to pave the way for start of work on the much-needed project. The land identified for the expansion/up-gradation project belongs to the State Government but it is currently under the physical possession of Indian Air Force (IAF) and unless the same is handed over to AAI the work cannot be commenced. After hectic parleys, the IAF in principle agreed to hand over 11.8 acres of land to AAI for construction of new terminal building after getting No Objection Certificate from the State Government, which is the actual owner of the airport land. However, the IAF made it clear that in lieu of 11.8 acres of land the Government shall have to provide alternate land for shifting the utilities before vacating the identified area.
During the past nearly one and half year no further development has taken place as district administration is of the stand that it will give identified alternate land to the IAF only after the latter hands over 11.8 acres of land to AAI but IAF wants alternate land first so as to shift the utilities on existing land. The fate of the project for the strategically important Leh airport is hanging in balance despite lapse of over four years. Due to inordinate delay in start of work on the project, the passenger handling capacity has remained grossly inadequate and people have been suffering a lot as air travel is the only mode of transport to the region during winter months when Leh remains cut-off from rest of the world due to closure of the highway.

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