After over five decades of dithering, the NGT formally cleared the “Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island” project on February 16, 2026, dismissing several petitions that challenged its environmental and coastal clearances. The five-decade delay surely calls for a de novo review of various components of the project and the phases of execution.
Key Issues for De Novo Review of the Project
The key issue that needs a “De Novo Review” of the project concerns the following:
- Need for the five components of the Project!
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO) is the implementation authority.
- Scope for Public-Private Participation (PPP).
Existing Infrastructure of GNI
The existing infrastructure available not only on Great Nicobar Island but also on the Nancowry-Katchal-Kamrota islands must be considered while finalizing the location of military establishments as part of the GNI project. The most important to note includes:
- Need for a second military station given the barely 22 km distance between Campbell Bay and Galathea Bay!
- INS Baaz – naval air station – is located near Campbell Bay. It overlooks the Strait of Malacca as well as the Six Degree channel between Great Nicobar and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The existing airport runway is around 4,300 feet. Long-term plans to progressively lengthen the runway to 10,000 feet. This expansion is designed to facilitate the operation of heavier aircraft, specifically the Indian Navy’s P-8I Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, Gen 5 fighters, and wide-body military and civil planes.
- Need for de novo review of the suitability of the Nancowry-Katchal-Kamrota islands for military and civilian port infrastructure? During World War II, the Nancowry harbour, formed by the surrounding islands of Nancowry and Kamorta, was utilized by the Japanese as a strategic naval base. It provided a sheltered anchorage for warships and submarines monitoring Allied movements in the Indian Ocean.
- Need for de novo review of uninhabited islands for relocation of various bird and marine species!
Expertise of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO)
The expertise of ANIDCO to implement the GNI project on “War Footing” needs de novo review. First, the primary agency responsible for the planning and execution of the GNI project in phases needs to be staffed by experts who must engage multiple private consultants.
Specialized consultants need to be engaged as general consultants for planning structures adhering to the latest seismic codes for Zone V. All township infrastructure, including the power plant, must strictly adhere to IS 1893 (Part 1): 2016 codes for earthquake-resistant design. In particular, for Tsunami resilience, designs for reinforced models using gabions and crown walls port breakwaters in the region must reduce 94% reduction in crest settlement and 98% reduction in lateral displacement. Critical “lifeline” assets—such as hospitals, power stations, and emergency control rooms—are sited above projected storm surge and tsunami inundation lines to ensure they remain functional during and after an event. The use of coastal shelter belts (mangroves and littoral forests) is emphasized to act as natural buffers against wave energy.
Public-Private Participation
For the execution of various components of the GNI project, contractors like L & T, HCC-HDC JV, APCO Infratech, J Kumar Infraprojects – NCC Limited JV, Megha Engineering Private Limited (MEIL), MSRDC, and Border Roads Organization to develop of military base infrastructure need to be engaged. Specialized private firms like DVP Infra are often engaged for the manufacturing of “Tetrapod” breakwater formworks and structures in India
Can the environmental activists and Ornithologists suggest and assist the ANIIDCO to rehabilitate Megapode birds and Leatherback Turtles to other islands in the Nicobar complex?
In retrospect, the GNI Project needs a de novo review, particularly from the point of view of developing a “Greenfield Military and civilian Airfield” at Campbell Bay, considering the availability of INS BAAZ barely 22 km away. More importantly, the suitability of ANIIDCO to plan and execute the project on “War footing” also needs pragmatic consideration. If ANIIDCO is retained as the prime agency, then it must be adequately staffed by personnel with appropriate expertise. (Concluded)
