The Nagaland Urban Council Federation (NUCF), along with all the 36 Town Councils of the state, on Thursday demanded the immediate and unconditional vacating of land belonging to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) that continues to be occupied by the Assam Rifles Training Centre (ARTC), calling the occupation illegal and against public interest.
In a strongly worded press release, the NUCF said the land is lawfully owned by AAI and that the prolonged presence of ARTC has severely hampered the long-pending expansion and modernisation of Dimapur Airport, the only civil airport in Nagaland.
“The continued presence of ARTC on this land is unauthorized, unjustifiable, and in direct violation of public interest,” the NUCF stated, adding that repeated appeals and official communications for relocation have failed to yield any outcome.
The federation said the delay has resulted in limited connectivity, compromised emergency services, economic stagnation, and missed opportunities for tourism and investment, terming the situation “unacceptable.”
Asserting that urban local bodies are the constitutional voice of the people at the grassroots, the NUCF said the collective will of the people was “clear, unanimous, and non-negotiable,” and that public land meant for public infrastructure must be restored immediately.
The NUCF demanded time-bound intervention by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to ensure the handover of the land to AAI, while also seeking accountability from authorities responsible for the prolonged delay.
It warned that any further delay would be viewed as a wilful act against public interest and developmental justice, adding that the federation and the town councils reserve the right to pursue all democratic, legal, and constitutional means.
Western Sümi Hoho backs airport land clearance
The Western Sümi Hoho also expressed “deep concern and unequivocal objection” to the continued occupation of AAI land at Dimapur Airport, stating that records clearly establish the transfer of the airfield to civil aviation authorities decades ago.
Calling the delay a serious impediment to Nagaland’s development, the Hoho said infrastructure projects of public importance cannot be indefinitely stalled by any institution, while urging the Assam Rifles to honour established agreements and facilitate immediate handover of the land.