BAN reiterates demand for upgrading airport

The Business Association of Nagas (BAN) has expressed grave concern over the prolonged neglect of Dimapur airport and reiterated demand for its immediate upgradation to an international airport.
BAN president L Mongkum Jamir and vice-president Benthungo Kithan in a press release BAN strongly urged the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to take immediate and decisive action toward developing Dimapur airport into a full-fledged international airport.
They lamented that the airport, one of the oldest in the Northeast, remained starkly under equipped to serve the present and future economic aspirations of Nagaland and the region. Despite its strategic location and serving parts of Manipur and Assam, they noted that the airport continued to suffer from severe infrastructure deficiencies and outdated facilities, leaving it unable to cater to the increasing passenger traffic and evolving regional economic needs.
Additionally, they pointed out that available space was neither optimally managed nor effectively utilised, further highlighting the long-standing and serious neglect of the facility’s potential
They expressed disappointment with the AAI continuing to cite encroachment issues as a barrier to any meaningful expansion, maintaining that in the context of India’s shifting economic priorities and the Government of India’s Act East Policy, such inaction was no longer tenable.
Demanding that reasons for this prolonged stagnation must now be addressed publicly and transparently , the BAN leaders pointed out that Nagaland’s geographical position offered natural potential to serve as a gateway to Southeast Asia.
They regretted that the lack of robust airport infrastructure had become a serious constraint for trade, tourism, and industrial growth.
The duo claimed that the BAN’s submission to the 16th Finance Commission underscored the urgent need for infrastructure advancement, specifically identifying Dimapur airport as a critical component in realising the state’s economic potential.
They stressed that enhanced air connectivity was essential not only for business and logistics but also for integrating Nagaland into national and international economic corridors, particularly those linked with ASEAN nations.
They called upon the Government of Nagaland to take firm and immediate action to address all administrative, regulatory, and land-related obstacles hindering the expansion of Dimapur airport.
Reiterating their full commitment to work in close coordination with all authorities concerned to advance this critical objective, they declared that they remained steadfast in their resolve to vigorously pursue this cause, recognising that enhanced air connectivity was essential for driving employment, fostering entrepreneurship, and securing long-term economic opportunities for the younger generation.
According to them, any resistance to this developmental priority must be viewed as an obstruction to the collective progress of the people of Nagaland.
Emphasising that a well-integrated infrastructure network, including an international airport, was not a luxury but an economic necessity, they declared that they remained determined to actively pursue and advocate for the development of a robust logistics and supply chain ecosystem across the state.
However, they acknowledged that without foundational infrastructure, such efforts would fall short of achieving the intended impact.