A social impact assessment (SIA) report on the proposed Greenfield International Airport at Great Nicobar Island has endorsed the project’s national and strategic significance but raised concerns over large-scale land acquisition and growing discontent among affected families.
Prepared by Probe Research and Social Development Pvt. Ltd. for the Directorate of Social Welfare, Andaman & Nicobar Administration, the report was submitted in July 2024 under NITI Aayog’s “Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island” initiative, a ₹72,000-crore masterplan involving four interconnected components: the Greenfield International Airport, an International Container Transshipment Terminal, a township, and a power plant. The project is being implemented by the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO) with the Indian Navy managing the airport as a joint civil–military facility.
According to the SIA, the airport project requires 834.64 hectares of land, including 337.36 hectares of private and 497.28 hectares of government land spread across Shastri Nagar and Gandhi Nagar villages in Campbell Bay. The acquisition will directly impact around 263 families, most of whom depend on coconut and betel nut farming, plantations, and related rural livelihoods. The report also estimates the loss of nearly 90,000 productive trees, 140 residential houses, two commercial establishments, twelve mixed-use structures, and several community assets, including a primary school, a sub-health centre, temples, a police chowki, a Border Roads Organisation camp, and public wells.
While some families reportedly expressed willingness to part with their land for the airport, the SIA documents significant resistance during public consultations. Many residents voiced concerns over delays in rehabilitation, inadequate compensation, and potential cultural disruptions. The report highlights apprehensions over an influx of outsiders, loss of privacy, and the erosion of local traditions once the airport becomes operational. It stresses that although the project holds substantial economic potential, its success will depend on transparent engagement, equitable compensation, and credible livelihood restoration.
Out of three potential locations, Ranganatha Bay, Campbell Bay, and Shastri Nagar, the SIA identifies Shastri Nagar as the most technically suitable, offering over 95 percent operational availability under ICAO norms, minimal forest clearance, and existing road connectivity. The proposed design includes a 3,000-metre runway, a full-length parallel taxiway, a 25,000-square-metre terminal complex, and aprons for passenger and cargo aircraft.
Despite noting the project’s economic and strategic merits, including improved connectivity, employment generation, and regional development, the SIA underscores the importance of adhering to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, alongside the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Land Acquisition Rules of 2018. It recommends that affected families receive due monetary compensation and employment opportunities in project activities, and that displaced religious and community structures be relocated or compensated as per community consent.
Significantly, the report advises the administration to restrict acquisition to the “bare minimum land” required for essential airport operations and to ensure the inclusion of Panchayat members and public representatives in all major decisions.
While calling the airport a project of national importance, the SIA cautions that Great Nicobar’s development must align with social fairness and ecological balance, reminding planners that progress should advance hand-in-hand with the trust and well-being of the island’s inhabitants.
