Govt awaits AAI nod for joint inspection of Balject Airport site
Shillong, Nov 20: The state government is in the process of re‑floating the tender for the long‑awaited expansion of Shillong Airport, Deputy Chief Minister in‑charge of Transport Sniawbhalang Dhar 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,” Dhar said.
The previous tender had to be recalled due to complications and a fresh invitation is now being prepared.
The successful bidder will have 18 months from the date of issuance of the work order to complete the project, according to the terms conveyed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
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.
