The Uttarakhand cabinet has granted approval for the expansion of Pantnagar airport’s runway, signaling the state’s aspiration to elevate the facility into an international airport. The existing 1,372-meter runway will be extended to 3,000 meters to accommodate larger aircraft. The expansion necessitates the acquisition of 804 acres of land, with neighboring lands belonging to various government departments.
A compensation framework for these departments will be established by a committee led by Chief Secretary SS Sandhu. Once acquired, the land will be allocated to the Civil Aviation department, which will subsequently assign it to the Airports Authority of India. The project is set to span three years and contribute to the state’s aviation infrastructure enhancement.
