Hailakandi: The Cachar district administration has started demarcating 316.5 acres of land in Scotpur-Kumbhirgram tea garden for the extension and modernisation of Silchar's Kumbhirgram airport.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to extend the airport following an increase of passengers and flights. Kumbhirgram is 29km from Silchar. There were 2.12 lakh passengers in 2016-17 and the number is expected to increase to 3.8 lakh in 2017-18.

Defence ministry sources said Silchar's Kumbhirgram airport has been included in the regional air connectivity zone along with Imphal, Dimapur, Aizawl and Agartala. The Centre will allow five private air companies to operate flights along 128 air routes of the Northeast under UDAN scheme at cheap rates.

Cachar deputy commissioner S. Lakshmanan said the land will be acquired according to existing rules and handed over to the AAI and the air force authorities for the extension and modernisation of the airport.

#On the other hand, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Citu) has strongly protested the acquisition of tea garden land for the extension of airport. They have already submitted a memorandum to the authorities citing their fears regarding the future of labourers. They alleged that the labourers would be rendered jobless if the land is acquired.

Lakshmanan said there was no question of loss of garden as adequate compensation would be paid after acquiring the land.