Dimapur: Kolkata-based advocate Sanjita Sarkar has approached the National Green Tribunal’s Eastern Zone Bench seeking to halt construction of a proposed greenfield airport near Chiethu in Nagaland’s Kohima district. Filed on September 23, the petition challenges the project and asks for a fresh assessment of its technical, economic and ecological viability.
Sarkar has sought directions to maintain the status quo at the proposed site and restrain the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Nagaland government from proceeding until the concerns raised in the application are examined. The petition was filed under Sections 18(1), 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.
The petitioner has raised concerns about the site’s seismic conditions, challenging terrain, prolonged monsoon and fog, ecological sensitivity and projected cost. According to the application, the proposed plateau-like site covers about 645 acres, with another 140 acres reportedly required under the Airports Authority of India’s master plan.
The plan includes a tabletop-style runway oriented 05-23 at an elevation of approximately 1,420 metres. A 2010 Airports Authority of India techno-economic study reportedly found the site feasible for ATR-72 aircraft only after extensive hill cutting, earthwork, filling and slope protection. The current proposal, however, envisages handling Airbus A320 or equivalent aircraft, prompting questions about whether the earlier assessment remains applicable.
Sarkar also cited a June 27, 2019, Lok Sabha reply stating that an AAI multidisciplinary team had estimated the Chiethu airport’s development cost at around Rs 6,000 crore. By comparison, the reply referred to strengthening work at Dimapur airport at a cost of Rs 43.22 crore. The petitioner argued that upgrading Dimapur airport, which has road and rail connectivity and flatter terrain, could be a more economical option.
The petition also draws on the experience of Pakyong airport in Sikkim, alleging that similar terrain and weather risks could affect the long-term viability of a tabletop airport near Kohima. Sarkar has therefore urged the tribunal to require an independent reassessment before the project advances.
Original Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/nagaland/nagaland-ngt-petition-seeks-fresh-technical-ecological-assessment-of-proposed-chiethu-greenfield-airport.html
Category: Nagaland,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2026-09-29 19:25:00
