SARBHANG

Airport (prior development) Almost half the required land is privately owned

Gelephu Domestic Airport 7 January, 2008 - Around 220 households could be displaced once the construction of the domestic airport at Nayabasti, about two kilometres north of Gelephu town begins, say dungkhag officials.

Officials said that the figure is based on preliminary survey reports and is subject to change.

The director general of the department of civil aviation, Phala Dorji, said that the exact number of people, who would be displaced, will be known only after the cadastral survey report is compiled by the national land commission. The survey, he said, was completed last week.

He however said that, of the 840 acres of land, that would be used to construct the airport, almost 50 percent is owned by the people. “About 400-500 acres of land are owned by the people. Some have built concrete buildings and some are semi permanent structures,” he said. “The rest of the land is government owned. But, since it’s a domestic airport, at this moment, we feel that the houses may not be affected,” said Phala Dorji.

He said that a reassessment has to be done for the concrete buildings, which are two to three storied and fall in the airport vicinity.

According to the executive order issued on November 13, last year, the ministry of information and communications has been directed to develop airstrip and commence aviation operations in Gelephu by December this year. The domestic airport in Trashigang should start operations by spring this year and Bumthang by June 2011.

The domestic airport, which would comprise a runway and a terminal building is today still partly under forest cover. Phala Dorji said that the construction would begin as soon as the civil aviation gets the airport land. “We aren’t looking at a big project, so it’ll be completed on time,” he said.

The Gelephu domestic airport, among other plans, is expected to accelerate economic development, by enhancing domestic revenue and generating employment opportunities.

By Sonam Pelden in Kuensel

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