Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that a public hearing for the proposed greenfield airport at Doloo Tea Estate in Cachar district concluded on Monday.
While the hearing marks a significant step forward in the state’s plan to transform Barak Valley into a connectivity hub, details regarding public consensus on the land acquisition were not disclosed.
“A major step forward. The public hearing for the Greenfield Doloo 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 expressed gratitude to stakeholders for their cooperation and reiterated the government’s commitment to realising its vision for the region.
The proposed airport aims to address the limitations of the existing Kumbhirgram airport in Silchar, which operates as a defense facility and cannot accommodate the growing demands of civilian air traffic.
The state government had previously distributed financial assistance to 1,296 families at Doloo Tea Estate as a goodwill gesture, but resistance from workers has continued.
Under the Asom Mojuri Shramik Union (AMSU), tea estate workers have voiced concerns, demanding either the return of acquired land or the allocation of equivalent land elsewhere for tea cultivation.
Protests erupted in 2022 when the Assam government began acquiring 2,500 bighas (826.45 acres) of land at the request of the Airports Authority of India.
The government assured workers that no evictions or job losses would occur as a result of the project.
The controversy deepened when the then Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that no formal proposal for the airport had been received from Assam.
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However, the state government clarified that the land was being acquired to support the central PSU’s plans for the greenfield project.
The state has announced a compensation package of Rs. 50 crore for land acquisition at Doloo, Lalbagh, and Mainagarh tea gardens.
Despite assurances, workers have expressed dissatisfaction, highlighting the project’s potential impact on their livelihoods and the tea industry in the region.
