Till now only announcements have been made regarding making Dehradun Airport an international airport. Whereas the proposal of runway expansion has been lying in cold storage in the government for almost four years. The plan to extend the runway of Doon Airport was started almost four years ago in 2020. When the airport administration had proposed a total of 243 acres of forest land towards Ranipokhari to the state government to extend the runway by 650 meters. After this, Congress and other organizations had opposed the cutting of trees for the airport. After the protests, the government did not take any effort to expand the airport’s runway. Whereas in order to make Pantnagar Airport an international airport, to increase the length of the runway from 1,372 to 3,000 meters, the cabinet has earlier approved to acquire 325.5126 hectares of land and transfer it to the Civil Aviation Department.
The land given by the National Highway to Pantnagar Airport. In lieu of this, the state government has also given approval in the cabinet on February 14 to give Rs 188.55 crore to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to prepare a seven km highway. Airport Authority and State Government have also done survey etc. of Pantnagar Airport.
Reason for Pantnagar Airport being ahead in the race
There has been a lot of opposition to extending the runway extension of Doon Airport towards the forest or towards Jolly Grant market. Whereas there is no protest in Pantnagar. At the same time, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s focus is also on Pantnagar Airport.
Expansion of Doon Airport necessary from tourism, pilgrimage and strategic point of view
From tourism, pilgrimage and strategic point of view, no other airport in the state is like Doon Airport. Chardham, Hemkund Sahib, Haridwar, Rishikesh, UNESCO included Valley of Flowers, Oli, capital Dehradun, Laltappad industrial area and the largest hospital and medical college of the state are connected to Doon Airport. This airport has proved its usefulness in rescue and strategic aspects also.
A proposal related to forest land for airport expansion has already been sent to the government. Now the state government itself has to decide on this. -Prabhakar Mishra Airport Director
