Construction set to begin after overcoming a series of regulatory challenges and land acquisition delays
The stalled construction of an airport in Jamshedpur’s Dhalbhumgarh region is set to move forward after receiving approval from Jharkhand’s forestry authorities.
JAMSHEDPUR – The stalled construction of an airport in Jamshedpur’s Dhalbhumgarh region is set to move forward after receiving approval from Jharkhand’s forestry authorities.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests has approved the project and forwarded the necessary documents to the Forest Environment and Climate Change Department, marking an end to the longstanding deadlock.
Previously, the project faced several setbacks, with land-related reports being returned three times by the Conservator of Forests, causing significant delays and frustration.
Despite these challenges, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is preparing to commence construction but awaits final consent from the State Government, as land acquisition processes are still to be finalized at the local block level.
An MOU signed in January 2019 between the Jharkhand Government and the AAI had initially earmarked Rs 100 crore for this project, which is part of a larger Rs 300 crore budget. Yet, concerns over an elephant corridor had previously stalled progress, leading to the file being returned by the Central Aviation Department.
Now, with three out of five villages near the World War II-era airfield agreeing to land allocation, and the state government allocating an additional Rs 2 crore for building the airport approach road, momentum on the project has resumed.
Once completed, the new airport on NH-33 in East Singhbhum will provide a much-needed air travel hub for Jamshedpur residents and those in neighboring areas like Bengal and Orissa, significantly reducing their travel distance to existing airports in Ranchi or Kolkata.
