By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Meghalaya alongside other 11 states in the country is catered by only 14% of the 12000 flights operating in the domestic route every week. This report of the civil aviation ministry also made shocking revelations that a mere 14% of the scheduled flights operating in the country caters to a massive 55% of the country’s population.
Meghalaya is listed with 11 other states – Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand.
In other states the majority of the flights are operating between capital cities and other metros. The reports say that union territories and states like Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Haryana, Puducherry and Sikkim have nil connectivity.
In this regard it is worth mentioning that Meghalaya, which falls in the low connectivity list, has only one flight connecting Kolkata in West Bengal operating from Umroi Airport.
Six flights are operating from Umroi except Friday. Three flights are running to and fro between Kolkata and Shillong three days a week and the other three flights running from Kolkata to Shillong with the return flights runs via Jorhat to Kolkata.
The reports also says about the role of the state governments which should play constructive role in constructing low cost airports and also sees into the aspects of other infrastructure needs to run such airports besides reduction of prices of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Government has taken “fantastic” initiatives in this regard, said a source from Umroi Airport.
The Umroi Airport after its extension project will be able to cater bigger flights and will also be in a position to connect with other cities in the region and country.
“Presently, the airport is not even connected with the seven sister states. Besides this the airport is not connected locally in the state,” said a source from Umroi Airport.
But with the extension of the runway and implementation of the technical equipment in the airport in future the airport can cater to more destinations and passengers.
“With the extension, we can run Airbus 321, ATR72 and such bigger flights from the airport.
Apart from the 193 acres of land that was provided by the state government to AAI, a VIP Road will be constructed from airport to city besides the state government has also removed sales tax on refueling,” said the source which will further boost the aviation sector in the state.