Jolly Grant Airport Expansion Moves Forward with Conditional Forest Land Approval
The proposed expansion of Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport has achieved a significant milestone, with a Project Screening Committee (PSC) granting conditional approval for the diversion of 49.6 hectares of forest land. This decision marks a crucial procedural step forward for the project, which aims to enhance air connectivity in Uttarakhand.
Key Conditions and Ecological Considerations
The PSC's approval is contingent upon several critical environmental safeguards. These include obtaining wildlife clearance, implementing a plan for the translocation of native tree species, and securing a certificate for compensatory afforestation land. These conditions underscore the ecological sensitivity of the expansion, given its location within the Shivalik Elephant Reserve.
The committee, comprising senior officials from the district administration, forest department, and the user agency, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), held its meeting last month, with minutes recently released. The expansion will necessitate the felling of approximately 9,300 trees, primarily species such as khair, sheesham, teak, amaltas, kanju, bhimal, kachnar, and kukat.
Detailed Tree Impact and Translocation Plans
Forest division officials provided detailed data on the affected trees during the meeting. Of the total 9,307 trees, 2,490 fall in the 0–10cm diameter class and 3,782 in the 10–20cm class, totaling 6,272 trees in these smaller categories. In response, the PSC chairman directed forest officials to prepare a comprehensive translocation plan, with UCADA agreeing to bear all associated costs.
Officials emphasized that the proposed alignment lies within an eco-sensitive zone, requiring additional approvals from relevant authorities. The process for online clearance has been initiated, and a proposal will be submitted to the State Board for Wildlife to address these concerns.
Project Components and Land Acquisition Progress
The total proposed alignment for the expansion includes 7.20 hectares designated for a new approach road, 33.90 hectares for airport expansion, and 8.59 hectares for the runway strip. A senior UCADA official confirmed that in-principle approval has been granted for land acquisition, with the next steps involving finalizing compensation for affected landowners.
This process is expected to be completed within the next couple of months, after which the land will be handed over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for further development. However, airport authorities have noted that they have not yet received any official communication regarding the approval, with Jolly Grant airport director BCH Negi stating that formal confirmation is still pending.
Expected Benefits and Future Outlook
Once fully realized, the expansion is projected to enable operations of larger aircraft and significantly improve air connectivity to Dehradun, supporting regional tourism and economic growth. The project highlights a balance between infrastructure development and environmental conservation, with ongoing efforts to mitigate ecological impacts through stringent conditions and proactive planning.
