with both the Central government agencies getting into an unprecedented ‘hoardings war’. The area opposite the Dabolim airport has turned into a virtual battleground for both these authorities.
The battle started a few months ago when the NHAI entered into an agreement with a private party and allowed the installation of few hoardings opposite the airport. After completing the formalities, the private agency set up a line of hoardings on NHAI property (close to railway track and next to the highway).
Sources have confirmed that AAI has been objecting to the hoardings on NHAI land since the time the airport authority noticed the first hoarding coming up on the city side of the airport terminal building. However, as its objections did not yield results, AAI allegedly chose to reply by putting up its own hoardings in a manner such that they block the view of the hoardings on the NHAI property.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a NHAI official disclosed that, “NHAI has already raised strong objections and have even sent few notices to AAI over the erection of new hoardings near the public toilet (located just opposite the arrival gates of the terminal building). By law, a certain area from the national highway falls under the jurisdiction of NHAI, and thus, AAI has no right to erect any hoardings without NHAI’s permission.”
As they are putting up more and more new hoardings, and that too on the NHAI property, we have decided to send a notice again to AAI.”
Reacting to the allegations, outgoing Director of AAI, Goa, KS Rao said, that “The land where the hoardings are coming up (near the public toilet) falls under AAI’s jurisdiction. It is my area and I have the right to do whatever I want. Under the AAI Act, we have full rights to any commercial activity in our property.”
He further said, “These hoardings are just the first step in our plan. We have a proposal to even build a high-rise wall to completely block the view of the highway opposite the airport terminal building. We will construct the wall later. We are temporarily blocking the view of the highway with the help of hoardings in our area.”
Incidentally, the feud between the NHAI and AAI began ever since the new airport terminal building came up close to the four-lane National Highway 17 B project.
