Gadchiroli To Get Major Airport As Part Of State's Push For Development And Security

Plans are underway to build an airport in Gadchiroli, a remote district in the northeastern part of Maharashtra. The state government has identified 229 hectares of land across three villages for a greenfield airport. This initiative is aimed at combating Naxal activities and boosting development in the area, according to a Hindustan Times (HT) report. The project is currently awaiting approval from the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), the body responsible for the construction and operation of airports in the state.

A senior government official explained in the same report, "We are waiting for MADC's final approval. Once received, the Gadchiroli district collector will begin the land acquisition process for the airport."

Photo Credit: PTI

Currently, Gadchiroli only has a helipad for defence and VVIP helicopters, with no night-landing facility. There were earlier plans for a smaller airport for aircraft like ATRs or C-130J military planes. However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed that the facility be expanded to accommodate larger commercial aircraft, including the A320 and B737, alongside defence planes.

The airport will be built on land in the villages of Murkhula, Pulkhal, and Kaneri, with the land acquisition process estimated to cost Rs 230 crore. The new facility will play a crucial role in evacuating injured personnel during anti-Naxal operations. "We need proper air facilities for swift evacuations, especially for defence planes and air ambulances," said a retired additional director general of police in the HT.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also been pushing for the airport as part of the state's broader efforts against left-wing extremism, a proposal that has been under discussion since 2008.

This will be the fourth airport in the Nagpur division, following Nagpur's international airport, Gondia's airport with a flying school, and Chandrapur's Morwa airport. The new airport in Gadchiroli will improve the district's connectivity, complementing ongoing projects like the Wadsa-Gadchiroli railway line and the extension of the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi expressway to include the district.

The airport is expected to greatly support the district's growth. Chief Minister Fadnavis recently announced plans for Gadchiroli to become the next steel city, with private investments of Rs 50,000 crore already pledged for its development.