Guwahati: A crucial public hearing for the proposed greenfield airport at Doloo Tea Estate in Assam‘s Cachar district concluded peacefully on Monday.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the completion of the hearing, expressing optimism about the future of Barak Valley as a connectivity and development hub.
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While Chief Minister Sarma confirmed the hearing’s conclusion, he did not disclose details regarding the public’s reception of the land acquisition plan.
“A Major Step Forward. The public hearing for the Greenfield Dolu Airport project in Cachar district concluded peacefully today – a significant milestone in our journey to transform Barak Valley into a hub of connectivity and development,” Sarma stated.
He added that the government is now closer to realizing its “grand vision” for the region, extending gratitude to all stakeholders for their cooperation.
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The Assam government plans to build a new airport in Silchar because the existing facility at Kumbhirgram is a defense airport and cannot be expanded to meet increasing air traffic demands.
The proposed land acquisition at Doloo Tea Estate has faced opposition from workers. In November 2022, the state government provided financial assistance to 1,296 families in the Doloo Tea Estate as a “goodwill gesture.”
However, the Asom Mojuri Shramik Union (AMSU) has voiced discontent, demanding either the return of the acquired land or an equivalent amount of land elsewhere for tea cultivation.
Earlier in 2022, a controversy arose when the then Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that no proposal for such an airport had been received from Assam.
However, it was later confirmed that the state was acquiring 2,500 bighas (approximately 826.45 acres) in the Cachar district at the request of the central PSU Airports Authority of India.
The government has previously assured workers that no one would be evicted from their homes and there would be no job losses due to the acquisition.
The state government had also announced a compensation of Rs 50 crore for the land acquisition at Doloo, Lalbagh, and Mainagarh tea gardens.
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