Bagdogra land cash rider

The Bagdogra airport terminal

Pranesh Sarkar, TT, Aug 18, 2018 , Calcutta: The Mamata Banerjee government has informed the Airports Authority of India that it will not be able to hand over 70 acres for the expansion of the Bagdogra airport near Siliguri until the central agency pays for the land.

"We have informed the AAI that we cannot give land free of cost if it is not in our possession. We don't acquire land for central agencies free of cost under our policy," said a senior state official.

The AAI had earlier informed Bengal that it develops infrastructure only when land is provided free of cost by the state government. Guruprasad Mahapatra, the chairman of AAI, had recently said the agency could not pay for the Bagdogra land as it would set a wrong example.

"If we pay for the land in Bagdogra, other states will also demand money for land required for expansion or setting up of new airports," Mahapatra had said in Calcutta last week.

Sources in the state government pointed out the land could not be given free as it had to be taken back from a tea garden near the airport. "The garden was given the land on lease. If we want to take back a portion of the land, we have to give compensation to the garden. We cannot shoulder the expenditure," said another official.

The state official said the government had no problem in handing over land free of cost for projects if it was in its possession but could not do that for plots requiring acquisition or termination of lease.

The state has already handed over 20-odd acres, which was in its possession, free to the AAI for the modernisation of the Bagdogra airport. "We gave 200 acres at Re 1 at Kalyani in Nadia to the Centre for developing an AIIMS-like institute. But we cannot compensate to the landlosers on behalf of central agencies. If we accept the AAI demand, other central agencies like the NHAI could make similar demands," the state official said.

According to other state officials, the AAI had initially asked for 120 acres to expand the Bagdogra airport. But considering the state's hands-off land policy, the AAI was requested to scale down the requirement.

"They (AAI) had agreed to 70 acres. If they remain rigid on getting the land free, the expansion might be a non-starter," said a source.

An AAI official said neighbouring states had provided land for expansion of airports without payments. "State governments have given land for free at Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Jharsuguda.... Only the Bengal government is asking for money."

Additional reporting by Sanjay Mandal