In view of the expansion and development of Bokaro Airport, the Bokaro Steel Plant management will launch a special anti-encroachment drive from August 28, adjacent to the Bokaro airport boundary wall, which puts a halt on the expansion and development work.
The anti-encroachment drive here to clear the site for the proposed expansion of the airport has not started despite an eviction deadline of July 17 due to a lack of cooperation between the Bokaro Steel Limited (BSL), which owns the land, and the district administration.
Earlier, the administration appealed to the encroachers, over 400 slum dwellers along the boundary wall of the airport to vacate but later it had to stop the announcement after the management did not find any police support at that time.
Now again the Estate Court Bokaro executed an eviction order for the people resident in the slum surrounding the airport. The court has given an ultimatum to the encroachers to leave the spot immediately and anyhow by 27 August.
The order also stated that, in view of the expansion and development of Bokaro Airport, the district administration will launch a special anti-encroachment drive from 28 and the administration will recover the demolition expanse from the encroachers.
Taking note on the directive of the estate court district administration appointed special magistrate along with a large number of police force to tackle any adverse situation.
SDO Chas appointed Diwakar Prasad Dwiwedi, CO Chas as special magistrate along with Madhu Kumari and Narendra Kumar, will be present during the drive. SDO also directed BSL management to completely disconnect the water and electric supply in those areas.
“The illegal houses that come up in the area were creating problems for expansion of the airport; all-out efforts would be made to make the areas encroachments free,” said an official.
The encroachment should have been removed earlier but it could not, he said.
Bokaro airport is being developed to make domestic flights operational. The city is now scheduled to be connected from Kolkata and Patna airports from 15 November 2019, under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das laid the foundation stone for expansion on 25 August 2018, but due to several hurdles and political tug of war the expansion activity got delayed.