Forest department backs diversion of reserve land for NCC airstrip reconstruction

The Forest department has formally assured the Idukki district administration that it will support the diversion of reserve forestland required to complete the stalled reconstruction of the National Cadet Corps airstrip at Sathram, near Vandiperiyar. The commitment emerged from a high-level meeting convened to resolve regulatory obstacles that have held up repair work since a 2022 landslip damaged the runway.

High-level review clears path for approvals

Idukki District Collector Dineshan Cheruvatt, Peerumade MLA Cyriac Thomas, and Kottayam divisional forest officer (DFO) Praful Agarwal participated in the meeting that agreed to expedite the reconstruction project. The team visited the site on Thursday (September 10, 2026). Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) D.K. Vinod Kumar confirmed that the department had assured the Collector of its support for diverting the proposed reserve forestland at Sathram.

However, the CCF clarified that procedural compliance remains mandatory. "For the diversion of forestland for developmental activities, the NCC must submit an application through the PARIVESH portal to secure statutory forest and wildlife clearances," Kumar stated. Since the project lies adjacent to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR), wildlife clearance and an environmental impact assessment (EIA) are mandatory given the ecologically sensitive nature of the terrain. "Once these clearances are submitted, the department will formally recommend the diversion of the land," the CCF explained.

Documentation gap stalled 2023 application

Kottayam DFO Praful Agarwal noted that the NCC had applied for land diversion via the PARIVESH portal in 2023, but failed to submit the required supporting documents to proceed. "Once the documentation is complete, the department will fast-track its approvals," he said.

The project gained renewed momentum after the Peerumade MLA raised the matter with the Chief Minister, prompting the high-level review. Officials revealed plans to transfer 6.5 acres of forestland for the airstrip, in exchange for an equivalent parcel of revenue land to be handed over to the Forest department.

2022 landslip left runway damaged

In July 2022, heavy rains triggered a landslip that washed away a section of the facility. Approximately 100 metres of the shoulder on the right side caved in, causing a deep crack across the runway. The damaged stretch remains unrepaired after the Forest department halted stabilisation works and stopped the construction of a 400-metre approach road, citing the site's status as proposed reserve forest.

NCC officials noted that the Public Works department (PWD) had previously planned to execute the repairs once statutory approvals were granted.

Legal status requires Central clearance

Forest officials reiterated that once land is notified under Section 4 of the Kerala Forest Act, 1961, it holds the legal status of a reserve forest under national conservation laws, making Central government clearance compulsory before any non-forestry use can proceed.

Designed to provide flight training for roughly 1,000 NCC Air Wing cadets, construction of the Sathram airstrip originally commenced on May 21, 2017.

Source: The Hindu