With the respective State Governments only correcting themselves over the years by resetting deadlines for completion of the strategically important Naini Saini airbase in Pithoragarh, which was earlier believed to be functional by early 2014, the same is unlikely to see light of the day even in this year.
Amid much criticism the State Government has been setting the deadline time to time before the construction agency to make the airbase which is pending over two decades, functional. But it had to extend the deadline again to make the same air base completed by 2012. However, since then though works continued on this project, it is highly unlikely that the same project would be completed even this year as expected earlier.
On account of the villagers’ concerns particularly those whose land has been acquired for this airbase, the pace of works remain a bit slow, said the officials concerned of the Uttarakhand State Infrastructure Development Corporation limited (UKSIDCl), Pithoragarh, which is looking after this project. Therefore, the project has been delayed. Hopefully, it will be completed probably by next year, they added. It is worth to mention here that the project for the airbase has been hanging in balance since the time the State was a part of Uttar Pradesh. Since then, as the old hand in Kumaon affairs here believed, the same project has seen many ups and downs. Over the years with change of Governments, construction agencies have also changed resulting in delay in completion of the project. Presently, USIDCl is looking after this project.
However, the much-talked about airstrip in Pithoragarh was delayed again when a private consultancy firm hired for drafting design of the air strip, backed out from the deal in 2010-2011, citing delay on part of the State Government in taking decision in regard to this project. later, the Government had to hire the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) to look after the designing aspect of this airstrip, as the officials concerned informed. Meanwhile, keeping in view certain delay in completing the said airstrip on time, the State Government then decided to complete this project by 2012.
However, given the progress of the construction works, earlier it was expected that the project would be completed at least by May 2014, as the official informed. But, it seemed it might take at least one year time to be functional. To have a proper air transportation service for Pithoragarh was needed also because of India’s close proximity towards international border with China and Nepal.
But the pace of works in this airbase project has been slower than any other developmental projects in the hill state. Therefore, it is to be seen how long it takes now the State Government to get this airbase project ready.