A legal practitioner and concerned citizen, Sanjita Sarkar, has approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata, challenging the proposed Greenfield airport near Chiethu in Kohima and seeking a fresh technical and ecological feasibility study of the project.
The Original Application, filed under Sections 18(1), 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 on September 23 last, seeks directions to maintain status quo at the proposed site and restrain the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Government of Nagaland from proceeding with construction of the airport pending consideration of the environmental and technical issues raised in the application.
The applicant has also sought a direction to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to conduct a fresh technical feasibility study and place the findings before the Tribunal.
According to the application, the proposed Greenfield airport is planned at a plateau-like site near Chiethu, with the identified land measuring approximately 645 acres and an additional 140 acres reportedly required under the Airport Authority of India (AAI) master plan. The proposed airport would have a tabletop runway with an orientation of 05-23 and an elevation of about 1,420 metres, the application states.
The applicant, a resident of Kolkata, West Bengal, has raised concerns over the proposed site’s seismic conditions, terrain, prolonged monsoon and fog, ecological sensitivity and the projected cost of the project. She has argued that these factors warrant a fresh assessment before the project is taken forward.
The application refers to an AAI techno-economic feasibility study conducted in 2010 for development of a Greenfield airport at the proposed site. According to the applicant, the earlier study had found development feasible for ATR-72 type aircraft, subject to extensive hill cutting, earthwork, filling and slope protection. The present proposal, however, envisages an airport capable of handling Airbus A-320 or equivalent aircraft, she has stated.
The petition also refers to an AAI tender for consultancy services for preparation of a Detailed Project Report for development of a Greenfield airport at Chiethu near Kohima.
A major concern raised in the application is the estimated cost of the proposed airport. The applicant has cited a Lok Sabha reply to Unstarred Question No. 1048 dated June 27, 2019, according to which an AAI multidisciplinary team had assessed the proposed Chiethu site and estimated the cost of developing the Greenfield airport at around ₹6,000 crore. The same reply had referred to strengthening works at Dimapur Airport at a cost of ₹43.22 crore, the application states.
The petitioner has argued that the existing Dimapur Airport, because of its relatively accessible location, connection to road and rail networks and flatter terrain, could provide a more economical alternative if adequately upgraded.
Citing AAI data, the application states that Dimapur Airport recorded passenger traffic of 3,36,870, 4,326 aircraft movements and 1,156 tonnes of cargo in the year ending March 2025. The petitioner has argued that the existing airport continues to serve not only Nagaland but also neighbouring areas of Assam and parts of Manipur.
The petition further alleges that the proposed Chiethu site is situated in a seismically active area and is characterised by shifting slopes, landslide-prone terrain, fog and prolonged monsoon conditions. It refers to information allegedly obtained from government authorities in support of its concerns.
The applicant has also drawn a comparison with the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim, claiming that the project demonstrates the risks associated with developing a tabletop airport in difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. The petition alleges that similar conditions could affect the long-term viability of the proposed airport near Kohima.
Ecological concerns also form a substantial part of the application. The petitioner has alleged that the proposed site is located in an ecologically sensitive region and that flight paths could pass over or near sensitive areas, including the Dzukou Valley. She has raised concerns over potential noise and other impacts on flora and fauna.
The application contends that the proposed airport should not be taken forward without a fresh assessment of its technical, economic and ecological viability, particularly in view of the scale of expenditure involved.
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The petitioner has further urged the Tribunal to examine the landholding pattern connected with the proposed project and determine whether any vested interests are involved, alleging that public resources should serve the larger population and not result in undue benefit to particular individuals or groups.
In its interim prayers, the application seeks maintenance of status quo and a direction restraining construction-related activity at the proposed site. In its final prayers, it seeks production of all records relating to the airport project, a fresh technical feasibility study by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and directions restraining the Centre and the State Government from proceeding with the proposed Greenfield airport.
The application also seeks costs and any other directions the Tribunal may consider appropriate.
The Respondents are State of Nagaland; Union of India, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Public Information Officer, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Public Information Officer, Airport Authority of India; Public Information Officer, Directorate General of Civil Aviation; and Public Information Officer, Ministry of Civil Aviation
