Govt may ask all airlines to operate from Umroi, Baljek

SHILLONG: The Transport Department will write to airline operators, both public and private, to start services from Umroi and Baljek airports.
Additional Chief Secretary in charge Transport Department, Shreeranjan, said on Wednesday the State government will write to all the airline operators to come to Meghalaya.
“We will talk to them either in the end of October or November in Kolkata or Delhi to enable them to operate their services in the state,” Shreeranjan said.
While 50-seater aircraft are currently landing at Umroi, the Baljek airport has the facility to accommodate only 20-seater aircraft but it has remained non-functional.
The official said while the instrument landing system will be set up by March next year at Umroi, the runway will be expanded by end of next year to accommodate bigger aircraft.
Shreeranjan hoped that the Centre’s proposed regional connectivity scheme will boost un-served and under-served airports like Baljek and Umroi, respectively, which will untimely benefit Meghalaya.
“Though the regional connectivity scheme is at the draft stage, we hope that it will take effect from November this year,” he added.