SHILLONG: Transport Minister HDR Lyngdoh informed that the State Government has taken steps to upgrade the Umroi Airport to facilitate landing of bigger aircraft like Boeing etc.
“Presently, Alliance Air has resumed its operations on the Kolkata-Barapani-Kolkata Sector,” Lyngdoh said while replying to a question raised by UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh during Question Hour in the Assembly on Wednesday.
He, however, said as far as the Baljek Airport is concerned it is fit for operating small Dornier-type aircraft.
“However, the airport has remained non-operational because it was designed and built in the STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) model and at present there are no takers for operation of such types of small Dornier Type of passenger aircrafts. Therefore, the Government has taken steps to upgrade the Baljek Airport to make fit for landing ATR aircraft,” Transport Minister said.
While replying to a supplementary from Lyngdoh, he said that the Government has acquired an additional land of 228 acres for expansion of the Umroi Airport.
“We have handed over the land to the Airport Authority of India (AAI). The AAI will soon take up the up-gradation work to allow the landing of bigger aircraft at the airport,” the Transport Minister said.
He also informed that Instrument Landing System (ILS) is being installed in the airport.
Replying to a supplementary tabled by NPP legislator James K Sangma on the expansion of the Baljek Airport, Lyngdoh said that the State Government has acquired an additional land of 58 acres for the expansion of the airport.
The Transport Minister informed that a total amount of Rs 111.23 crore has been estimated for the expansion of the airport. “We are waiting for the Centre to allocate the funds. The AAI will start the up gradation work as soon as the funds are available,” he added.