The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has released its second report on the planned upgrades to Shillong Airport at Umroi, aimed at enabling larger aircraft to take off and land at the facility.
This was announced by the Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Transport, Sniawbhalang Dhar on Monday after inspecting the site.
Earlier, Dhar held a meeting with AAI officials, representatives from the Civil Aviation Department of the Government of India and senior state officials to discuss the airport’s expansion.
Dhar stated that the government is taking significant steps to improve Shillong Airport. Following the latest AAI report, there is optimism about the airport’s potential for development. However, he noted that discussions with the Government of India for exemption of certain guidelines.
According to Dhar, the airport’s expansion is planned for the southern end, requiring an additional 16 acres of land for the expansion and 6 acres for the construction of the Apron (Aircraft parking area). The runway needs to be extended by 900 meters to accommodate larger aircraft, he added.
When asked about the environmental impact, Dhar assured that expanding to the south would avoid cutting into nearby hills.
Regarding the estimated cost, he revealed that the project would require approximately ₹500 crore from the Government of India, while the State Government would bear the cost of land acquisition.
