Ravi opens terminal
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: After a long wait, the Shillong Airport at Umroi finally got a facelift with the inauguration of a new terminal building here on Saturday.
The new terminal building with state-of-the-art facilities was opened by Union Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi. The terminal with a capacity of 200 passengers has been constructed at an estimated amount of Rs 30 crore and is expected to bring about a considerable improvement in air connectivity in the NE region.
Speaking on the occasion, the Civil Aviation Minister said the Central Government is going all out to improve air connectivity in the north-eastern region and elsewhere by developing 60 airports across the country.
Expressing hope that Baljek Airport, the other airport in the State, to be functional soon, the minister maintained that the runway would be further extended to facilitate landing of small aircrafts.
Earlier, the State Government officially handed over 214 acres of land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for expansion of the runway of the much-awaited Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma, earlier, urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to further improve the aerial connectivity by introducing flights from the region to other metropolitan cities.
The Union Minster recently held talks with DoNER Minister BK Handique to connect all the airports of the North-East.
Commenting on the Baljek Airport, Dr Sangma said, “Additional land for Baljek Airport has been identified and the Government is trying to attract private operators to commission small aircraft for the Airport.
Union Minister of State for Water Resources Vincent Pala, who has been instrumental in the facelift of the airport, asked the State Government to reduce the sales tax so that other flight companies can expand their services in the hill State.
At present, one 48-seater ATR aircraft lands at the Umroi airport from Kolkata everyday, except Friday, and returns the same day.
The Shillong Airport at Umroi was constructed in the mid-sixties and became operational in the mid-seventies.
However, the project was delayed due to acquisition of land but now everything seems to be on the right track as far as the upgradation of the airport is concerned.
