NUCF, 36 town councils demand immediate eviction of Assam Rifles from AAI land for Dimapur airport expansion

The Nagaland Urban Council Federation (NUCF), along with all 36 Town Councils of the state, has strongly opposed the continued occupation of Airport Authority of India (AAI) land by the Assam Rifles Training Centre (ARTC), demanding its immediate and unconditional vacating to facilitate long-pending expansion of Dimapur Airport.

In a strongly worded statement, the NUCF said the land in question is lawfully owned by the AAI and that the continued presence of the ARTC amounts to unauthorised occupation, undermining public interest and violating the rule of law. The federation expressed deep anguish and resentment over what it described as repeated disregard for official communications and appeals seeking relocation of the training centre.

The NUCF said the prolonged delay in vacating the land has severely hampered the expansion and modernisation of Dimapur Airport, the only civil airport in Nagaland. It noted that the stalled project has resulted in limited air connectivity, economic stagnation, compromised emergency response capabilities and lost opportunities for tourism and investment in the state.

Emphasising that urban local bodies represent the constitutional voice of the people at the grassroots level, the federation said the collective will of the people is “clear, unanimous and non-negotiable”, asserting that public land earmarked for public infrastructure must be restored without further delay.

The NUCF and the 36 Town Councils have demanded immediate vacating of the AAI land by the ARTC, along with time-bound intervention by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to ensure the handover of the land to the AAI. They also sought accountability from authorities responsible for what they termed an unjustified and prolonged delay that has denied Nagaland its rightful development.

Warning of further action, the federation said any continued delay would be viewed as a wilful act against public interest and developmental justice. It stated that the NUCF and the town councils reserve the right to pursue all democratic, legal and constitutional means to safeguard public assets and ensure that critical infrastructure projects are no longer obstructed.

Reaffirming unity, the NUCF said all 36 Town Councils stand resolute in their demand and called upon the concerned authorities to act immediately in the larger interest of the people of Nagaland.