Airport plans: Tea estate owner ready to talk

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, BAGDOGRA, 4 JANUARY: As Stakeholders and the common public express doubt about the state government not being able to manage extra land for the much needed Bagdogra Airport expansion project, one of the tea garden owners today said he was ready to 'negotiate' with the state government, but with certain terms and conditions.

Notably, state tourism minister Gautam Deb has recently said that the state was planning to acquire the land from owners of tea plantations near the Airport.

"If the state wants to acquire land for national interest. I am ready to negotiate with government officials for the development of north Bengal as well as Bagdogra Airport," Ajit Agarwal, the owner of a tea plantation, said over phone from Delhi.

"I have spoken to the chief secretary of the Bengal government and informed him about my views,' Mr Agarwal said.

Asked to comment on the land rights issue, he said: 'The state will not be able to take back tea plantation land because it is a perpetual lease hold land. To avoid complications, the state would have to negotiate with us."

'Negotiations may take place with terms and conditions. It maybe Financial terms or compensation for the land.- he said, adding, -a total of 70 acres of land may be required for the expansion project."

It maybe mentioned here that Bagdogra Airport authorities have recently proposed the state to acquire 100 acres of additional land for the construction of a new terminal building, which is imperative to cater to the ever rising number of passengers at the airport.

Authorities have readied a detailed project report (DPR), keeping in mind the massive prospects in the coming 20 years, For a new terminal building and parking area for at least 25 aircraft. Only five aircraft can presently park in the operational area of Bagdorgra Airport, which is jointly controlled by the Indian Air Force and the Airports Authority of India.

The Bagdogra Airport started operations on a plot of land measuring 30.16 acres, while the state has handed over more land to the airport authorities are setting up the Instrumental Landing System (ILS) there.

The DPR for the expansion foresees seven million people using the airport in the corning 20 years,while it envisages a new terminal building that can handle 1000 passengers at a time in the security hold area. The present capacity of the security hold area is only 400 passengers.

Doubts have been expressed from certain quarters over the acquisition of more land required for the expansion project, as the state government had taken more than seven years to negotiate and strike a deal with around 40 families, who were unwilling to give up their land for setting up the approach lights (ILS), which will help aircraft land in the evenings and even emergency landing at night.

There are sufficient land on either side of the existing road, connecting National Highway-31 and Bagdogra Airport. On the left side of the road approaching the airport is a tea plantation and on the right is a huge tract of empty land,' a senior official associated with an airline said." If the state can acquire even that land on the right, much of the present problems facing the airport will be resolved," he added.

On an average, 22 aircraft land and take off everyday at the Bagdogra Airport within six hours from 12 pin to 6 pm, which means huge amount of pressure on the operational area of the airport. According to Airport Director Rakesh R Sahay, the same number of flights is operational in Ranchi Airport, but the time of their operations is 24 hours there.

(To be continued)