Foundation stone of Adampur airport likely to be laid on Dec 11

JALANDHAR : With farmers ready to give land for the domestic airport proposed by the Union government at Adampur Air Force Station, the foundation stone of the project is likely to be laid by the aviation minister on December 11.

Sources said in a bid to acquire the land before the model code of conduct comes into force, the Jalandhar district administration has managed to convince the farmers to give their consent for ₹36-lakh-per-acre acquisition rate.

Deputy commissioner KK Yadav on Friday met owners of 42 acres of land that will be acquired for the project at Kandola village.

“All the farmers are ready to surrender their land for the project . They were demanding ₹42 lakh per acre and we managed to make them agree at ₹ 37 lakh. We have sent the proposal to the state civil aviation department for their approval. As soon as we get the approval, payments to the farmers will be made,” Adampur SDM Rajiv Verma said.

State BJP chief and Union minister of state Vijay Sampla, who has been instrumental in getting clearances for the airport, told Hindustan Times that the foundation stone of the project will be laid by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Union aviation minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju on December 11.

“We have sought time from the finance minister Arun Jaitley as well. The land acquisition is just a matter of days and I am personally following the matter with the chief minister for speedy acquisition of the land,” said Sampla.

Besides the land acquisition cost, ₹62 crore will be spent on the project and the amount will be equally shared by the state and the Centre.

“The Centre has already sanctioned its share. The airport at Adampur is going to be a reality in a record time,” the state BJP chief said.

Sources in the government said the SAD-BJP combine was trying hard to start work on the project and then show it as another achievement in the poll-bound state.

The demand for the airport was recently raised by all prominent businessmen from Jalandhar under the banner of Doaba Airport Welfare Association (DAWA).

JALANDHAR DEPUTY COMMISSIONER KK YADAV ON FRIDAY MET OWNERS OF 42 ACRES THAT WILL BE ACQUIRED FOR PROJECT AT KANDOLA VILLAGE