International Airport at Jammu

Work on Airport expansion project to start in three months

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Aug 16: The much delayed project of upgradation of the Jammu Airport into international airport will be start in three months. Sources disclosed that the expansion project will cover around 144 kanals of army land and the concern department has identified the same area at Sunjwan for the army.

When completed it will increase the length of the runway from present 6700 feet to 8000 feet allowing bigger aircrafts like Airbus to land at the airport, which is not possible at present as the runway length is small for the operation of the bigger aircrafts.

About one year back after it was found that the land at Sunjawan was a ‘Game Reserve’ from the time of Maharaja, the process was stopped as it needed a clearance from the twin environment committees as well Supreme Court, but the issue had now been resolved. 

Government has sanctioned Rs 61 crore for the said project. In this regard the secretary Animal Husbandry Department has been directed to identify land for shifting their offices from Belicharana on priority so that work on the prioritized expansion of the Jammu Airport could be taken” added a source.

When contacted Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Dr Pawan Kotwal said that the work for the extension will be started within 2 to 3 months, as the department is doing the initial works in this regard.

He further said that there are some internal works which is required to complete before the department move further to start the project, due to which the work of upgradation of Jammu Airport is taking time to start.

The much talked about Jammu Airport expansion project had faced lot of problems due to differences over administration and army.

Administration, without going into the records of 144 kanals land at Sunjawan selected for the shifting of the camp was caught by surprise when it turned to be a Maharaja’s time Game Reserve --- a historical legacy and a wild life protected area.

Following this ‘sudden’ realization the government is now in a fix as it cannot hand over the land to army without getting clearance from the State Environmental Empowered Committee and later from the Supreme Court appointed Empowered committee.

According to the officials, as the land promised to be handed over to army falls in the environmental fragile zone, it needs the clearance of the empowered committee headed by Chief Secretary and further clearance by the Supreme Court appointed Empowered committee.

“It means that Army cannot be relocated from Satwari affecting the entire project of Airport expansion in Jammu. It may even take years now”, said a source.