The Assam Cabinet has sanctioned the transfer of 3,000 bighas of land from Doloo Tea Estate, located near Silchar in Cachar district, to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the establishment of a greenfield airport. This new allocation, which includes an additional 500 bighas beyond the previously designated 2,500 bighas for the project, is seen as a crucial step toward securing approval from the Union Cabinet, as announced by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma following a Cabinet meeting on Sunday evening. Sarma highlighted that the need for a civilian airport has been long acknowledged, particularly since expanding the current defense airport at Kumbhirgram is impractical due to heavy air traffic and operational constraints.
The decision to transfer this land has sparked protests from tea garden workers concerned about potential loss of their homes and employment, despite the government’s efforts to reassure them. Previously, a controversy arose when former Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia noted that the Centre had not received a formal proposal from Assam for this airport initiative. This was later clarified as land acquisition began at the behest of the AAI.
In November 2022, the government had provided financial assistance to 1,296 families in the Doloo Tea Estate, allocating Rs 50 crore for compensating workers from Doloo, Lalbagh, and Mainagarh estates. Nevertheless, there remain significant grievances among tea workers affiliated with the Asom Mojuri Shramik Union (AMSU), who expressed dissatisfaction after a public hearing in June of this year, renewing their demands for either the return of the acquired land or the designation of alternative land for tea cultivation.