SHILLONG: The Advocate General of Meghalaya has opined that development work at the Shillong Airport can continue even as a litigation pertaining to land acquisition is pending in the Supreme Court.
Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner C.P Gotmare said the district administration had sought the opinion of the Advocate General on the airport’s infrastructure development.
The High Court of Meghalaya, while taking exception to the undue delay in expanding the airport at Umroi, in December 2015 set a deadline of four months to complete the project.
But the order was stayed by the apex court last May after some land owners of Nongsder, who did not receive the compensation amount, moved the Supreme Court.
“Now we have written to the PWD to direct the concerned contractor to take up necessary development work at the airport,” Gotmare said, adding that the district administration is now keen to complete all the construction work at the earliest.
There is one area at the isolation bay of the airport that is under dispute and the runway expansion of the airport cannot take place unless the dispute is settled. The disputed area is near the boundary wall of the airport.
The North Eastern Council (NEC) had promised to arrange for funds for the expansion of the runway.
Shillong Airport is of great importance for landlocked Meghalaya in absence of proper road and railway network.
The tourism industry in the State is also expected to receive a boost once the airport, which till date has only one ATR flight connecting Shillong with Kolkata, is fully functional.
