By 
Leh, October 30, 2026: Chief Secretary, UT Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, today chaired a review meeting at the VC Hall, Civil Secretariat, Leh, to assess the progress of airport infrastructure development and discuss the operationalisation of civil aviation services at Kargil and Thoise airports.
At the outset, Air Commodore Ajay Rathe, AOC, 21 Wing, gave a detailed presentation on the proposed expansion and operational requirements of Kargil airport.
The meeting reviewed the land requirements for the proposed Kargil Airport. Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, Rakesh Kumar, briefed the Chief Secretary on the status of the proposed land acquisition and the issues associated with it.
The Chief Secretary directed the Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, to conduct a joint site inspection with the Indian Air Force (IAF) team and address the issues and objections pertaining to land acquisition for the expansion of the airstrip at the earliest, in consultation with local leaders and representatives.
The meeting also discussed the construction of a new terminal building at Thoise Airport, Nubra, on defence land. The Station Commander, Thoise, briefed the meeting on the status of working permission, handing over and taking over of land, the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
The Chief Secretary directed the concerned Administrative Secretaries to resolve the pending procedural issues at the earliest to facilitate the timely execution of the proposed project.
Reviewing the overall progress of both airports, the Chief Secretary emphasised the need to expedite all pending matters and directed the concerned departments and agencies to fast-track the process for operationalisation of civil aviation services at Kargil and Thoise.
The meeting was attended by Divisional Commissioner/Administrative Secretary, Revenue Department, Shurbir Singh; Administrative Secretary, PWD (R&B), Baseer Ul Haq Chaudhary; Administrative Secretary, Civil Aviation, Nidhi Malik; Deputy Commissioners of Leh, Kargil and Nubra; Chief Engineer, PWD; AOC, Air Force Station, Leh; Chief Engineer/Commander, Project Himank, BRO; Project Director, Airports Authority of India; Station Director, Thoise; representatives of NHIDCL and NHAI; and other concerned officers.
Comments