Baljek Airport goes off State Govt radar

SHILLONG: The State Government seems to be in no interest to augment the near-to-absent air connectivity between Meghalaya and the rest of the North east region and the country as it is yet to complete the modalities for expansion of the runway at the Shillong Airport at Umroi, while completely abandoning the Baljek Airport at Tura.
The West Garo Hills District Administration acquired 58 acres of land for the expansion of Baljek Airport at a budget of around Rs.2.59 crore and handed over the Airport to the State Transport department but there has been no word from the department on the proposed developmental plan of the Airport.
Though some private airlines had expressed their willingness to operate a small flight on the Guwahati-Tura-Shillong route, the Meghalaya Government reportedly showed no interest to the proposal.
However, there is a stretch of land which is under litigation as two Nokma are claiming that the stretch of land belongs to them. The matter is still pending with the court.
The expansion of Baljek Airport would pave way for landing of at least a 30-seater aircraft at the Airport which has remained non-functional since it was inaugurated with much fanfare by Pratibha Patil, the then President of India, on October 23, 2008.
The Baljek Airport set up at Jengjal, around 33 km from Tura, was built at a cost of Rs.12.52 crore.