SHILLONG, Feb 14: A division bench of the High Court of Meghalaya has asked both the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to file an affidavit regarding the feasibility of expanding the Umroi airport for handling long-haul flights and larger aircraft.
The division bench on Monday heard the matter pertaining to the possible expansion of the airport.
At present, only short-haul ATR aircraft are able to operate from the Umroi airport because of its short runway. According to the respondents, there are regular flights operating between Umroi and Kolkata, Guwahati, Imphal, Agartala, Dibrugarh, Lengpui, Dimapur and Silchar.
The division bench said Meghalaya has rich prospects in developing tourism. If a plan of sustained development of the tourism industry is chalked out, upon monitoring and regulating the critical parameters, the local economy may get the necessary fillip, particularly since there is no big industry in the state. The boost of tourism in the state will also result in substantial benefit to the national economy, the court observed.
According to the court, since long-haul flights from up-country cities can only land at Guwahati, the nearest major airport, the travel time from Guwahati to Shillong is in excess of three hours and if a person visiting Shillong is able to directly land at Umroi, the travel time would be reduced to about 40 minutes.
It was submitted on behalf of the state that substantial expenses have been incurred for expanding the flat land beyond the runway on either side by cutting down the hills. However, the hills may have to be cut further for a safe runway to handle the Boeing and bigger aircraft.
It is for such purpose that both the AAI and the DGCA are required to file affidavits indicating the feasibility of expanding the Umroi airport, it was observed.
While the AAI filed an affidavit indicating the development activities undertaken recently at Umroi airport, it said nothing about the feasibility of expanding the airport for larger aircraft. The DGCA did not file any affidavit.
Expansion of the airport has been deemed crucial as tourism is likely to gain momentum in Meghalaya.
The court said safety cannot be compromised and the international standards pertaining to the length of the runway for bigger aircraft have to be adhered to. It said both the AAI and the DGCA should file their affidavits highlighting these aspects.
It was further submitted that the DGCA was involved more with assessing the airworthiness of aircraft, issuing licenses and monitoring the operation of flights in the country rather than being involved in the construction of any airport or the requirements thereof.
“If such is the case, the DGCA’s affidavit should indicate the same and the entire matter may rest on the assessment of the feasibility of expansion of the airport by the AAI. The matter will appear four weeks hence,” the order said.
The matter has been listed on March 14.