Syiem of Sohra offers land for new airport

SHILLONG, Nov 8: Syiem of Hima Sohra, Freeman Singh Syiem called on Governor CH Vijayashankar on Friday with a proposal to offer adequate land in Sohra for the development of a full-fledged airport under the Centre’s UDAN Scheme.
The UDAN Scheme, aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and providing affordable air travel to underserved areas, aligns with the state’s vision for improved infrastructure and tourism.
The Syiem said the generous offer of land reflects the commitment of local leaders to contribute to Meghalaya’s growth and development.
The Governor expressed his gratitude for the Syiem’s initiative and highlighted the importance of such infrastructure projects in boosting the state’s economy and accessibility.
He assured the Syiem of Sohra that the proposal would be forwarded to the relevant authorities for consideration.
This development will mark a significant step towards improving connectivity in the region and promoting tourism in the iconic Sohra area, further supporting Meghalaya’s development goals, the Governor said.
Meanwhile, some bidders have expressed interest in introducing regular flights from Shillong to metropolitan cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
The state government has floated a tender for initiating direct flights from Shillong to the metropolitan cities.
Sources informed that the rates quoted by the bidders are on the higher side forcing the government to take up the matter with the Finance department for necessary guidance.
This comes at a time when the number of flights operating from Shillong airport has come down in the last few months.
A direct flight from Umroi to Agartala and Silchar was stopped and recently, the Shillong-Dimapur flight was also stopped. SpiceJet has also stopped its service from Shillong to Kolkata.
The only positive is that Alliance Air has introduced a flight on the Shillong-Pasighat route.