Joint inspection carried out at Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu
Shillong, Nov 25: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma met Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu in New Delhi on Monday, and discussed the expansion plans for the Shillong Airport at Umroi in Ri-Bhoi district.
He also urged Naidu for inclusion of the Baljek Airport near Tura in the regional connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik).
“Met Hon’ble Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri @RamMNK ji, to discuss the modalities for the expansion of Shillong Airport and to request the inclusion of Baljek Airport under the RCS-UDAN scheme,” Sangma said in a post on X.
“Grateful for his support and for his commitment to strengthening the aviation sector in our state,” he added.
Naidu said the enhancement of aviation infrastructure, including the expansion of Shillong Airport, is crucial for the state’s tourism economy.
“Had an elaborate discussion on strengthening air connectivity for Meghalaya with Hon’ble Chief Minister @SangmaConrad Ji along with senior officials at the Ministry,” he said in a post on X.
“Better air connectivity will enable growth avenues for ancillary sectors like tourism, handicrafts and agriculture, supporting the livelihood of farmers and women self-help groups of Meghalaya,” he said.
Earlier, the state government is in process of re-floating the tender for the long awaited expansion of Shillong Airport, said on Thursday.
“We are in the process of floating the tender. As soon as the tender is allotted the work will start. It should be by this year,” the Chief Minister said.
The expansion, estimated at Rs 119.44 crore, includes a 571 metre runway extension (bringing total length to 2,400 m), upgrading the terminal building and apron, and associated infrastructure to enable A 320 aircraft operations.
Earlier, the state government approved the purchase of 11.75 acre land at a compensation of Rs 72.17 crore.
On Baljek Airport, Dhar said a joint inspection between AAI and the state government is pending to identify and acquire additional land.
“We are waiting for joint inspection… we need experts from AAI to come and indicate the right direction before we can acquire the land,” he said while responding to a query that the government has been requested to sanction Rs 50 crore for the project.
The Deputy CM emphasized that payment is not the bottleneck; rather, it is the need for AAI experts to confirm feasibility and direction of the expansion. (PTI)
