State to sign MoU with airport authority regarding land transfer

RANCHI: The decks were cleared for the long pending issues related to expansion of Birsa Munda airport runway in Ranchi, besides construction of isolation bay, with the Jharkhand government deciding to transfer 303.62 acres of land to Airport authority of India (AAI).

“The decision would remove the roadblock and help in executing the Birsa Munda Airport (BMA) master plan,” said airport director Vinod Sharma on Saturday, adding that the issue of land transfer was pending for the last six years.

The Hemant Soren government has given the go-ahead to land acquisition and transfer following the Cabinet approval on February 3.

As per the decision, 27.34 acres of land would be transferred to AAI permanently, while the rest 276.28 acres would be transferred on long lease. The Jharkhand government would sign a memorandum of undertaking with AAI in this regard as well, said authorities of the civil aviation department.

The BMA director said the land that would be transferred permanently would be exchanged with the Indian Army.

He said the Ranchi airport expansion project, as per the master plan, was hanging fire, as the land identified along the existing boundary of the airport belongs to the army.

The army land would become AAI’s property once the land exchange process is over, he said.

Sharing other details, Mishra said the land that would be leased to the BMA would help in constructing the much-required runway, air strip expansion and isolation bay.

Detailing on the isolation bay, the director said modern airports, on receiving bomb alerts, safely deplane passengers first and then take the aircrafts to isolation bays. It is a stipulated safety measure in airports to protect the structure, he said. “The Ranchi airport does not have an isolation bay at present. We have earmarked a part of the runway for the purpose,” Mishra said.

He also mentioned that expansion of the terminal building and parking area was also on the anvil in view of the increased demand, as more people are opting for air travel to reach destinations.