TURA: In a ground breaking decision taken to bring Garo Hills into the air map of the country and boost tourism in the region, the Conrad Sangma led Meghalaya government has decided to hand over to the Airports Authority of India the region’s lone airport at Baljek in Jengjal, 33 kms from Tura.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma led a high level delegation of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) headed by Sanjeev Jindal, Regional Executive Director of AAI, to inspect the Baljek Airport on Tuesday morning.
Accompanied by Meghalaya Home Minister James Pangsang K Sangma and chief adviser to the chief minister and North Tura MLA Thomas A Sangma and several high level state officials, the chief minister had a long discussion with the AAI team at the airport and also inspected the runway.
“The objective of this visit is to operationalize the Baljek Airport and our discussions with the Airport Authority of India was very positive. We have come to a conclusion that there is a process we will follow for which we will be handing over Baljek to the AAI,” announced Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to media persons at Baljek after conclusion of talks and inspection of the airport.
The chief minister said that initially basic services such as the current Helicopter service would be made operational from Baljek itself. Currently, the Pawan Hans helicopter service between Guwahati-Tura-Shillong, operational three times a week, has to use the BSF helipad at Dobasipara, Tura for want of a permanent landing strip.
“In the long run extension of the Baljek runway will pave the way for landing of aircraft,” informed the chief minister.
The limited runway at Baljek had been one of the main reasons the airport has not been able to be utilised for Dornier and ATR aircraft. The first and last time a dornier aircraft landed was during the inauguration of the Baljek airport by President of India Pratibha Patel in the year 2008.
During the joint inspection with the AAI delegation, Meghalaya Home Minister James Pangsang K Sangma assured that the state government would do all that is necessary to procure additional land for expansion of the runway.
‘Boost for tourism and cargo’; says Jindal
The top AAI official who attended the Baljek inspection, Regional Executive Director Sanjeev Jindal has said that once the airport is made operational it will give a major boost to tourism in Garo Hills.
“This is my first visit to Garo Hills and I found there is immense potential for agriculture products and tourism. If this airport is given to us to operate we will see how best to develop it. Initially we will start with the helicopter service and gradually look into bringing in Dornier and ATR type of aircraft,” says Jindal optimistically.
He said that once it is operational under an ATR type of aircraft there will be immense potential for tourism as well as cargo.
“Tourists and tourism related issues like hotels will benefit from the air connectivity and small farmers having good agricultural produce will get an opportunity to get their commodity airlifted through cargo not only to India but the rest of the world,” revealed Jindal.
Brief History of Baljek: Baljek airport, also known as the Tura airport, is a public airport located 33 kms from Tura on the main highway connecting to Assam.
The first proposal for the airport was given to the centre in 1983 and the project was sanctioned in 1995. Built at a cost of Rs. 12.52 crore, it was initially designed to handle 20 seater planes like the Dornier aircraft.
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma played an active role as a parliamentarian in establishing the first airport in Garo Hills. In 2008, under the MPA government of Dr Donkuper Roy, the President of India Pratibha Patel inaugurated the first airport of Garo Hills in a glittering programme attended by a mammoth crowd of people who came from different corners of Garo Hills.
It was the first time for many people from Garo Hills to witness the landing and taking off of planes from their very own soil.
However, due to the limited runway the airport could not go into operation for ATR 42 or ATR 72 aircraft and fell into disarray. The 3,300 foot long runway requires another 1200 feet of extension for bigger planes to land.
In the light of the non-functional airport, the previous government utilised the site to accommodate surrendered Garo militants, primarily from the United A’chik Liberation Army during their rehabilitation process. Currently, central paramilitary forces are manning the airport.
What has landed in Baljek: A Dornier aircraft that has a capacity to seat twenty passengers. A twin turbo-prop utility aircraft it was the only kind of aircraft to land and take off from Baljek during the inauguration of the airport in 2008.
What is required: The runway of Baljek needs to be lengthened for an ATR twin engine turboprop aircraft to be able to land and take off. The ATR has a seating capacity of 68-78 passengers.