Shillong, Aug 20: Deputy chief minister in-charge Transport Sniawbhalang Dhar has asserted that there has been no delay on the part of the state government in the process of land acquisition for expansion of the Shillong Airport.
However, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the minister said the government has decided to further speed up the process of land acquisition.
“There is no delay on the government’s part, and the Transport department and its officers are working diligently to complete the land acquisition process,” Dhar said.
Earlier, the state government approved a proposal to acquire 11.75 acres of land and Rs 72.17 crore to be paid to affected landowners.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) requires 22 acres of land for the project, and the Defence Ministry has agreed to provide 10.3 acres on a leave-and-license basis.
The minister said while the tender for the extension was floated and opened, the work was yet to be allotted.
“The government will try to speed up the completion of the land acquisition process,” he said.
The airport expansion project aims to extend the runway from 1,829 meters to 2,400 meters, enabling larger aircraft like Airbus to land and enhance connectivity to major metropolitan hubs.
On August 13, the Meghalaya High Court criticised the slow progress of Shillong Airport expansion project and directed both the state and centre authorities to accelerate the progress to ensure its completion as soon as possible.
It pointed out that no agreement for land acquisition had been signed with landowners, and the transfer of funds seems to be merely a procedural step.
The bench had also pointed out that the army authorities have allowed the use of some land under their custody, but the demarcation exercise between military and state land is still ongoing.
