SHIMLA — In a historic move prioritizing public welfare, the Himachal Pradesh state government, led by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has officially approved ₹16.76 crore in financial assistance to support families displaced by the upcoming expansion of the Gaggal (Kangra) Airport.
Unlike standard legal payouts, this specific package is designed to provide humanitarian relief to 113 families who were running commercial shops and local businesses on government-owned land near the airport vicinity.
A Compassionate Approach to Infrastructure Growth
While property owners are already receiving heavy payouts under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, this new package breaks administrative norms to secure the livelihoods of non-landowning business owners.
Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania expressed deep gratitude toward the Chief Minister’s executive decision, stating that it highlights the administration’s empathy for the poor and middle-class working families.
“This is perhaps the first case of its kind in the entire country where people running local businesses on government land are being actively provided financial compensation during a major land acquisition project,” Pathania remarked. He noted that the decision came after multiple delegations met with the Chief Minister during his tour of the Kangra district to convey the struggles of local shopkeepers.
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Key Highlights of the Gaggal Airport Project
| Project Feature | Current State | Target Post-Expansion |
| Runway Length | 1,376 meters | 3,010 meters |
| Aircraft Capacity | Smaller turboprops (e.g., ATR-72) | Major commercial jets (e.g., Airbus A320, Boeing 737) |
| Disbursed Funds | Over ₹1,960 crore already released | Total project budget estimated at ₹3,500 crore |
| Economic Goal | Local localized transit | Establish Kangra as the “Tourism Capital” of the state |
Massive Aviation Upgrades Underway
The Gaggal Airport expansion stands as one of Himachal Pradesh’s primary infrastructural undertakings for the decade. By lengthening the runway to over 3,000 meters, the state plans to enable multi-city, direct commercial flights out of major metropolitan hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
Furthermore, modern navigation tools and night-landing technology are scheduled to be implemented, bringing 24/7 all-weather operational capacity to the region and heavily buffering the regional hospitality industry against seasonal weather disruptions.