SHILLONG, June 1: The state government has floated an expression of interest (EoI) for a proposed greenfield airport in Ri-Bhoi or East Khasi Hills district.
The decision was made as the Shillong airport at Umroi is not feasible for the operation of bigger flights due to geographical challenges. Only ATRs are operating from here.
In the EoI, the Meghalaya Transport Corporation invited applications from interested landowners for purchase/acquisition of unencumbered land for the greenfield airport.
Following shortlisting of land, the Search Committee of the state government will conduct an inspection at a later date to be intimated to the landowners accordingly. The last date and time for the submission of EoI is June 6.
According to the EoI, the land has to have good frontage and approach roads and should be easily accessible from the Guwahati-Shillong (GS) Road. It should be relatively flat and suitable for the setting up of the airport.
Also, the land should be preferably in the vicinity of Shillong and within approximately 20 km radius (as the crow flies) from the office of Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills. The government requires a minimum of around 800 acres of land for the project. Greenfield airport is a term used to identify a new airport, built from scratch in a new location. Such airports are constructed to support the projected requirements of traffic of the existing airport.
Earlier, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had submitted before the High Court of Meghalaya that it may not be possible to expand the Shillong airport or its runway to accommodate larger aircraft. The state government had agreed that the cost involved in cutting hillocks near the airport may not yield commensurate benefit.
Prior to that, the court had sought a preliminary report from the government on whether to build a greenfield airport or expand the existing one at Umroi.
“It is hoped that something concrete regarding the development of the state is planned, with a greenfield airport project or an expanded Umroi airport as its centre being a harbinger or catalyst for the overall development of the State that would create employment opportunities and add to the wellbeing and happiness quotient of the residents here,” a division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh had ordered.
After perusing the affidavit filed by the AAI, the court had said the AAI was not optimistic about the feasibility of the extended runways at the Shillong Airport and it suggested the state to identify one or more areas for a greenfield airport.
“Whether in expanding Umroi airport or in setting up a new greenfield airport will depend on the projected use, both on the basis of AAI expert’s understanding in such regard and the extent to which the state government intends to give a fillip to tourism and make Meghalaya or the area around Shillong a lucrative tourist destination,” the court had said.
