OhNagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday said the State Government has decided to take up the long-pending Dimapur Airport land issue with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, asserting that if the Assam Rifles does not vacate the land, the Centre must provide Nagaland with a new airport.
“If they will not move out from there, then they have to give us a new airport. That is a decision,” Rio told reporters after the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting held at Chümoukedima.
It may be mentioned that Assam Rifles Training Centre (ARTC) is occupying 18.8 acres of land, which is yet to be vacated for the first phase of Dimapur Airport expansion. In this regard, a high level meeting was held in New Delhi on July 1, 2025, but no breakthrough has been achieved so far.
Read: CM Rio intensifies efforts to resolve land issues and expedite Dimapur Airport expansion
Earlier, last year Rio had written to Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, highlighting that the delay in airport expansion has created operational and safety concerns, despite the Airport Master Plan for phased development being ready. He pointed out that while the Nagalahttps://nagalandtribune.in/wp-admin/post.php?post=74163&action=editnd Government and CRPF had already vacated and transferred the required land, the Assam Rifles continued to retain its portion despite having fully shifted operations to the new Shukovi facility.
Read: Eviction drive conducted at Diphupar village
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On June 13, 2025, district administrations of Dimapur and Chümoukedima carried out an eviction drive to reclaim government-acquired land following an order of the Gauhati High Court, clearing 17.9 acres previously occupied by private individuals.
In recent weeks, various NGOs and civil society organisations have also intensified demands for the Assam Rifles to vacate the remaining land earmarked for the airport’s expansion, stressing the urgent need to upgrade Dimapur’s only commercial airport to meet rising traffic and safety requirements.
