Airstrip expansion move runs into hurdle after villagers refuse to handover land

BERHAMPUR: After the villagers of Karapalli and Rangeilunda panchayats refused to hand over their lands, the State Government’s move to expand Rangeilunda airstrip has come to a grinding halt.

Sources said the State Government had decided to expand the airstrip, 8 km away from here, at an estimated cost of `44 crore to facilitate landing of 40 to 70- seated turboprop aircraft. The existing airstrip with a 900-m runway is on 40 acres of land. Another 40 acres of land, including 30 acres of private land, are required to upgrade it to 1,874-m runway. Accordingly, necessary survey was conducted and trial run of 6 to 8-seated aircraft was also carried out.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju, during his recent visit to Berhampur, had said that his ministry would take steps for the development of Rangeilunda airstrip into an airport, if the State Government presents a proposal in this regard. Following this, the State Government in 2016 decided to expand the airstrip. Later, the Public Works Department (PWD), entrusted with the expansion task, prepared a detail project report (DPR) at `44 crore, including `14 crore for land acquisition.

Accordingly, a high-level team from the State Government had visited the airstrip and asked the Ganjam district administration to start the land acquisition. However, the process of land acquisition got delayed due to several reasons.

Recently, the PWD convened a public hearing where locals and private land owners declined to hand over their land for expansion of the airstrip. Villagers said their lands, identified for the expansion, are most fertile and they depend on them for their livelihood.Among others, Karapalli Sarpanch S Menaka Reddy, Rangeilunda Sarpanch B Chandreyya Reddy and senior district officials were present.