SHILLONG, Aug 30: Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Friday said the state government is exploring the feasibility of developing the existing Shillong Airport at Umroi for the operation of narrow-bodied aircraft considering the hilly terrain.
Dhar, who handles the Transport portfolio, replied to a call attention notice moved in the Assembly by UDP’s Nongpoh legislator, Mayralborn Syiem on the plan to expand the Shillong Airport. He said the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is surveying the topography and other aspects for runway expansion.
“The AAI has Rs 4 crore for this purpose,” he said.
Dhar said the AAI has informed the government about a multi-disciplinary team examining different options such as runway extension and unidirectional and two-way operations apart from consulting the airlines for an optimum solution.
“The final recommendation will be shared with the state government,” he said.
The Deputy CM recalled a July 29 order passed by the High Court of Meghalaya, saying it expects the state government to coordinate with the Centre to explore the possibilities of expanding the Shillong Airport.
He said Shillong is presently connected with eight urban centres in the Northeast – Aizawl, Dimapur, Imphal, Agartala, Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Lilabari, and Silchar – and Kolkata. “We are also operating flights to New Delhi through the viability gap funding mechanism supported by the state government,” he said.
Dhar said the status of Meghalaya as a landlocked state and remote from the mainland has been a hindrance in unlocking its true potential. The Shillong Airport is, thus, crucial for tourism, business travel, and the overall accessibility of the region.
“A well-functioning airport can play a crucial role in facilitating movement of people and resources for various sectors like education and healthcare, connecting the state to other parts of the country to foster trade and investment,” he said.
The Deputy CM said the passenger footfall at Shillong Airport increased from 62,793 in 2022 to 1,09,134 in 2023 and to 1,54,658 by the halfway mark in 2024 because of the introduction of new routes. “However, due to limited air connectivity and restricted operational hours, many travellers opt to fly from Guwahati,” he added.
He said that by leveraging the current infrastructure, the government is engaging with the AAI to explore the possibility of Sunday operations and two-shift operations, effectively doubling the airport’s operational hours.
According to him, this initiative aims to accommodate peak hours at major airports and create a new corridor for air connectivity
“Extended operational hours will facilitate improved flight scheduling, potentially attracting new airlines and establishing additional routes, thereby enhancing passenger options and accessibility,” he said.
Dhar said that the AAI has responded positively, expressing support for extending flight operations and informed the state that a few airlines have shown interest in operating on Sundays with the aviation fuel station consenting to Sunday operations.
Regarding the implementation of two-shift operations, he said the matter is being closely followed up by the state government.
Dhar also said the state government is exploring the possibility of introducing smaller aircraft with direct flights to key cities, including Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
“To facilitate this, an RFP (request for proposals) has been floated to invite airlines to operate on these routes. We are taking steps to sincerely address the various issues relating to the expansion of Shillong Airport,” he said.
