Nagaland: ARTC yet to fully vacate land for airport expansion

The Assam Rifles Training Centre (ARTC) is yet to fully vacate 18.9 acres of land earmarked for the first phase of Dimapur Airport expansion, despite evacuation having been set for October 2025.
This was disclosed during a telephonic conversation with Director, Airport Authority of India (AAI), Dimapur Airport. The Director clarified that the 18.9 acres constitute the first phase of evacuation and form a crucial part of the airport’s approved master plan for phase-one developmental works.
The Director informed that ARTC was required to vacate the 18.9 acres by October 2025, however the process was affected after Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) wrote to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on September, 2025, requesting that 2.27 acres out of the earmarked land be retained “for the time being”. The MHA cited the presence of an approach road leading to family accommodation, underground water supply infrastructure, and two transformers on the said land. Following the communication from MHA, it was informed that Ministry of Civil Aviation appraised AAI Dimapur Airport, after which a committee was constituted in December to examine the matter.
AAI Dimapur Airport however conveyed its stand in January 6, 2026, stating that the land could not be spared as it was an integral component of the master plan for implementing the first phase of the airport expansion, and instead suggested that the facilities located on the land be relocated to alternative sites.
Asked on whether evacuation had commenced, the Director informed that around 30 houses have already been vacated from the projected area earmarked for evacuation under the first phase, expressing hope that the entire 18.9 acres would be handed over to AAI within January or February.
It was further learned that the second phase of the Dimapur Airport expansion would require an additional 128 acres of land, however AAI stated that there was no clarity at present on when the evacuation or acquisition process for the second phase would be initiated.
It may be noted that the expansion of Dimapur Airport is aimed at enhancing infrastructure and operational capacity.