By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 17: While New Delhi touts the success of regional connectivity, Shillong Airport has become a graveyard of discontinued routes with the UDAN scheme collapsing to just two operational destinations and leaving the state’s tourism sector in a tailspin.
The UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme in Shillong has largely stalled, with most routes discontinued over the last 18 months, leaving the state capital with significantly reduced air connectivity.
While the scheme originally linked Shillong to several major destinations across the Northeast, the majority of these flights have been withdrawn.
Previously, Shillong Airport offered direct UDAN connectivity to Agartala, Guwahati, Dimapur, and Dibrugarh. Currently, regional connectivity under the scheme is limited to Aizawl and Pasighat, alongside regular IndiGo services to Kolkata and Imphal.
Parambir Singh Sehdave, president of the Federation of Shillong Hotels, stated that the suspension of these routes has hit the tourism sector hard. He noted that the decline in flight options coincides with the slow progress of the airport’s expansion project. “Earlier, it was easier for tourists to fly in for weekend stays. That is no longer the case since flights to Agartala, Dimapur, and other destinations were removed,” Sehdave said.
Urging authorities to reinstate the UDAN flights immediately, Sehdave argued that the tourism industry should not be penalised while the airport is being prepared for larger aircraft operations.
Furthermore, promises made last year regarding seaplane operations from Umiam Lake under UDAN 5.5 have yet to materialize, with no visible progress on the proposal to date.
On the other hand, the expansion of Shillong Airport is likely to take longer than the state government’s targeted timeline of 2027 for enabling operation of larger aircraft.
Sources earlier indicated that environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is still pending and under process. Without this key approval, the project cannot proceed fully.
However, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma recently revealed that the runway expansion project is on track despite its complexity, involving multiple stakeholders, regulatory approvals, and land-related challenges.
He said that the expansion, aimed at enhancing air connectivity and facilitating the operations of larger aircraft, is expected to be completed by 2027, as originally planned. Issues raised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), mainly related to flight safety and the safety of residents near the airport, are being addressed and will not delay the project, he added.
The state government has stated that runway expansion work, once started, will take approximately 18 months to complete. However, land handover to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is still pending. Authorities in Ri-Bhoi district are confident of complying with the Meghalaya High Court’s directive and handing over the required land within January 31.
In addition to the runway and new terminal building, the project includes revamping staff quarters and the parking lot.
