KOLKATA, April 4: The proposed NSG hub off the the NSC Bose Airport is likely to be delayed as the land earmarked by the government for the project is infested with encroachers. Also, the polls will delay the acquisition of another 10 acre plot selected for the same project. The state government had finalised around 25 acres of land for the anti-hijacking unit of the NSG in Kaikhali area and even persuaded the Airports Authority of India to part with the land. Around 10 acres of land which is in the hands of a private owner would also have to be acquired to set up the anti-hijacking unit.

But now the state government has found that the land belonging to AAI had been encroached upon and the state government would certainly prefer to refrain from evicting encroachers ahead of elections. On the other hand, the state government will have to issue notice for the small plot of private land and it will take some time to complete the process. With the Lok Sabha elections imminent, the district administration cannot issue land acquisition notices at the moment.

The state home secretary, Mr Ardhendu Sen, admitted that the problem of acquiring the land for the anti-hijacking unit of the NSG cannot be settled until elections are over. Mr Sen said: “The encroachment is unlikely to pose a major problem. But we cannot launch the drive now. The acquisition process would also require some time.”

It may be recalled that the proposed NSG hub had also not taken off because of problems with such large tract of land as well as the huge investment made. SNS