SHILLONG, July 22: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday met Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and sought the Centre’s support to expedite a series of aviation infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening air connectivity across the state.
During the meeting, Sangma said the state government had completed its responsibilities for the proposed projects and requested the Ministry of Civil Aviation to grant the necessary approvals for their implementation.
The expansion of Shillong Airport at Umroi figured prominently in the discussions. The state has transferred 22 acres of land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), secured environmental clearance, and AAI has awarded the runway expansion contract. Once completed, the upgraded runway will be capable of handling larger aircraft such as the Airbus A320, enabling direct flights to major cities and reducing dependence on the road journey from Guwahati.
The Chief Minister urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to grant execution-level approval to allow runway expansion work to begin. He also said the state was removing flight-path obstacles, including relocating Umden Mission Village at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore.
Sangma also sought Central approval for the phased development of Baljek Airport in Tura under the RCS-UDAN scheme. Meghalaya has proposed that AAI take over the airport on an “as-is-where-is” basis and offered to deposit the estimated project cost of Rs 63.67 crore upfront.
He further highlighted progress on heliport infrastructure, stating that heliports at Shillong and Tura are under construction, while approval has been sought for at least two more heliports and feasibility studies for nine additional sites across the state.
The Chief Minister also proposed the development of a water aerodrome at Umiam Lake under the RCS-UDAN scheme following a successful seaplane demonstration in November 2024. He requested the preparation of a detailed project report and inclusion of Umiam among the five water aerodromes proposed for development by the AAI.
