Expansion of Umroi airport in Meghalaya: State govt requests AAI for second survey

Deputy Chief Minister Incharge Transport Sniawbhalang Dhar said this will be a totally new survey as he said that the Airport Authority of India is conducting the second Survey of

With an aim to convert the Shillong Airport into a bigger one, the state Government has asked for the second survey of the airport to be exercised by the Airport Authority of India.
Deputy Chief Minister Incharge Transport Sniawbhalang Dhar said this will be a totally new survey as he said that the Airport Authority of India is conducting the second Survey of the Umroi Airport.
Talking to media, Dhar said the payment is made. The feasibility test for the expansion of Runway is being conducted by the Airport Authority of India. This survey is conducted at the Umroi Airport to ascertain the feasibility of wider-bodied aircraft to operate from the airport. About the Baljek Airport, he said the additional land is yet to be identified and when the land is finalized a joint inspection will be conducted before going for the land acquisition process.
Dhar said, “We have already spoken to the AAI, they are on the job of second survey. We have already paid the fees. All our eyes are on that airport, we want to make it a big airport. The AAI is sending a new team for the survey. This new survey is a new option.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner and Secretary in the Transport Department, Sanjay Goyal, said the survey is going on and it’s a detailed exercise and takes time. The report on the ongoing feasibility exercise to find out if Umroi Airport can be expanded or not is likely to be submitted within the next three months.
Goyal said, “The survey is going, it is a detailed exercise and takes some time. We are expecting that in the 2-3 months time they (AAI) should be in a position to give us some report. As and when the report is presented we will share the outcomes.”
Asked, Goyal said additional requirements of land is there with regards to Baljek airport and the survey of existing land is over and now the state Government has requested Airport Authority of India to go for a joint survey so that the actual Alignment is not missed out.
It may be mentioned that Umroi Airport, which serves Shillong, cannot cater to jet planes, instead being limited to smaller turboprops, which have a shorter range and can carry fewer passengers. The reason is the runway, which is not long enough for jet planes. The feasibility study will indicate whether there is any scope for expansion of the airport or not.

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