New Delhi, Jun 14 (IANS): The cabinet Thursday cleared a defence ministry proposal for exchanging 2.5 acres of land between the Indian Air Force and the union territory administration to enable expansion of Chandigarh's civilian airport.

"The union vabinet today (Thursday) approved the proposal of the ministry of defence for mutual exchange of 2.50 acres of land between the administration of the union territory of Chandigarh and the Indian Air Force (IAF) for expansion of civil air terminal at Chandigarh airport," an official release here said.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to expand Chandigarh airport to augment air services.

However, as the AAI does not have land to provide to the IAF, which is required for any transfer of defence land, the UT administration undertook to transfer an equal value of land at Sector 31-D at Chandigarh to the IAF.

"This mutual exchange was approved by the cabinet," the release said.

The defence land is to be transferred to the Chandigarh administration on a permanent basis.