The district administration has made significant progress in the long-delayed expansion of Jolly Grant Airport by successfully acquiring 87 hectares of land in just three days. This milestone has brought the project much closer to its goal of positioning Jolly Grant Airport on the international aviation map.

A high-level meeting on the airport's expansion was held in the District Collectorate Auditorium, chaired by District Magistrate Savin Bansal. The meeting focused on accelerating land acquisition, compensation disbursement, and the resettlement of affected families.

The District Magistrate instructed the officials to speed up the process and ensure that Jolly Grant Airport is soon prepared to handle international air traffic. Highlighting the airport's strategic importance for Uttarakhand’s tourism and connectivity, he emphasized that officers must approach the task with urgency and seriousness to complete the remaining formalities.

During the meeting, it was reported that over 85 per cent of the land acquisition work had already been completed. Among the affected population, 43 families and 93 farmers possess small, unregistered plots, which have been classified as unidentified. The District Magistrate also directed the SDM, Doiwala, to retrieve records of all land registries conducted over the past three years to verify ownership claims.

In response to the demand for market-rate compensation from affected individuals, Bansal ordered the formation of a committee, consisting of the SDM, Doiwala, and the Sub Registrar, to assess the claims and submit a detailed report. He also addressed the request for land-for-land compensation, instructing officials to evaluate the request according to existing norms and submit their recommendations.

The meeting further revealed that verification of the affected families had already been completed, and compensation assessments were underway. The District Magistrate stressed the need to expedite the displacement and rehabilitation process.

The expansion of Jolly Grant Airport, located near Dehradun, is essential for enhancing both domestic and international air connectivity to the region. Once completed, the project aims to enable the airport to accommodate international flights, larger aircraft, and increased passenger traffic. This expansion is expected to provide a boost to tourism and economic activities in the region, acting as a gateway to destinations such as Haridwar, Rishikesh, and the Char Dhams, in addition to Dehradun.

The meeting was attended by, among others, the Special Land Acquisition Officer Smriti Parmar, SP City Jaya Baluni, SDM Doiwala Aparna Dhoundiyal, SDM Apoorva Singh, and representatives from various concerned departments.

News source: Garhwal Post