Ajay Thapa
Pakyong, Jan 20
The Spicejet flights have to cancel twice its regular flight from Kolkata to Pakyong during the month of January 2019, because of bad weather condition informed Airport Director Ramatanu Saha.
But it may have to shut down its service in the coming days if the protection wall at the hill side of the Airport is not constructed in time, he added.
In order have safe landing, the runway needs at least 70 meters of plain ground from both sides of the runways but now the upper hill side have only 39 meters and it may decrease as the hill may slope down during rainy season, causing difficulty for flights to land at the difficult terrain airport.
The contractor for the proposed protection wall at the hill side of the Pakyong Airport is stationed at Pakyong but they are not permitted to start their works as the affected landowner had protested to stop their works as their land compensation are not paid. Due to protest by the Land owners, the contractor have been given notice not to start the protection wall by the SDM Pakyong till further notice. We are hopeful the matter will be solve and give the permission to start the protection wall at the hill side which is necessary to stop the slides during rainy season. If the protection wall are not put in time, the slides may come down to runway and hamper for flights landing.
The protection wall is important to laid at the hill side to stop slides as well as to installed lights for flights operation.
It was our duty to pay first instalment for land acquisition which we have paid 65 crorer to the state government, Now it is the part of State government to pay the remiainig compensation to the victims, informed the AAI Director.
On the other side, the land affected victims are hopeful that their demands will be solve soon. We were given assurance to take our demands to the higher authorities by the DC East but still we are not informed about the matter. It is state as well as center government issues to fulfill our demands. If the demands are not fulfilled by February 25th, 2019, we will protest at the Pakyong Airport for our demands and even stop the flights to operate from Pakyong informed the victim.
Meanwhile, the AAI have given Office Allotment Order at Pakyong Airport to State Government for operating Pawan Hans Chopper, to start their business flights from Pakyong Airport to Gangtok and Bagdogra.
Soon the agreement will be sign between State government and AAI, after which the chopper will start their business informed the AAI Director.