HC happy with concrete airport expansion proposal

SHILLONG, Oct 1: The High Court of Meghalaya on Monday expressed happiness that for the first time, a concrete proposal was placed for expansion of the Shillong Airport.
At the commencement of the proceedings, AAG K Khan, assisted by Addl. Senior GA, AH Kharwanlang produced a demi-official (DO) letter dated September 27, 2024 before the court, wherein the state respondents acknowledged the requirements as outlined in the Master Plan submitted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and recorded their in-principle approval for the project.
DSGI N Mozika, assisted by the counsel appearing for the AAI, submitted that in view of this positive development, the AAI will need some time to put together the proposal and place it before the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
He prayed that he may be allowed eight weeks’ time for the same and the prayer was allowed.
The court noted that this is the first time a concrete proposal has been placed for the expansion of the airport. The court was hopeful that the same will be taken to its logical conclusion within the stipulated time and fixed the next date of hearing on October 24, 2024. In another order, the court directed the petitioners and the state respondents in two connected matters pertaining to traffic and vendors in Shillong to collate the previous orders.
The court said as the matter is of utmost importance and the issue is hanging fire as can be seen from the earlier orders, especially the one dated May 14, 2024 where a tentative timeline for the process had been spelt out but not adhered to, and as the matter appears to be at a stalemate, it is deemed fit to direct the petitioners and the state respondents in both these connected matters to “collate the orders passed earlier by this Court and the other events with regard to matter dealing with the vendors in various areas in Shillong”.
The compilation of the orders and the notes shall be filed before this court on October 28, 2024, after which further orders will follow, the court said.