Kohima: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and ensure the release of 18.8 acres of land currently occupied by the Assam Rifles, which is crucial for the expansion of Dimapur Airport — the only airport in the state.
According to a senior state government official, the Assam Rifles have already been allotted and shifted operations to an alternative location in Shokhuvi village, Chumoukedima district.
The new facility, which includes a training centre and school, is now fully functional.
Despite this, a portion of land — 18.8 acres out of the 147 acres previously under their control — remains untransferred, stalling critical infrastructure work under Phase I of the airport’s expansion plan.
In contrast, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has vacated 8.4 acres of land earlier under its occupation, demonstrating cooperation with the expansion project led by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
In a letter to Amit Shah, Rio emphasised the urgency of the matter, highlighting that the delay in land transfer is posing significant operational and safety challenges.
He noted that the state government and CRPF had already fulfilled their commitments and that the Assam Rifles’ continued occupation was the only roadblock.
“Despite repeated representations, the land has yet to be handed over. Since the Assam Rifles now have a fully operational base in Shokhuvi, there is no further requirement to retain their current location. The transfer is critical for the timely implementation of AAI’s master plan,” the chief minister stated in his letter.
A high-level meeting chaired by Abhijit Sinha, Additional Secretary (Police-II) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, was held in New Delhi on July 1 to address the issue.
The meeting followed sustained efforts from Rio and Chief Secretary J. Alam, who has also written to the Union Home Secretary reiterating the state’s position.
Alam said the Assam Rifles had shown willingness to vacate the land, subject to formal direction from the Ministry of Home Affairs and a request for structural compensation.
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However, he clarified that since the land transfer is an inter-agency exchange between two central government bodies — the Assam Rifles and AAI — no compensation is required, and the land can be transferred on an “as-is-where-is” basis.
Dimapur Airport holds strategic importance not just for Nagaland but also for neighbouring regions of Assam and Manipur.
The ongoing land dispute has delayed much-needed upgrades, even as passenger traffic and demand for connectivity continue to rise.
