By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 8: The Baljek Airport, located on the outskirts of Tura continues to remain non-functional for decades even after spending crores of rupees on land acquisition for the project.
The last time a flight landed at the airport was in 2008 when the then President of India Pratibha Patil inaugurated it.
Now, it is said that the government is looking to make the airport functional by next year as she is looking to operate a 19-20-seater flight between Shillong and Tura.
The state government is in talks with the Airports Authority of India to make the airport functional with a 19-20-seater flight.
It may be mentioned that, in 1986-1989, 153 acres of land was acquired for the airport and then around 58 acres was again acquired in 2014. As of now, the government has spent over Rs 3.57 crores on land acquisition.
As the airport is hardly used for the purpose, the facility remains kaput. The government has been using the facility to hold major musical events for the last two years.
The airport was originally designed as a STOL (Short Take-off and Landing) facility, with a runway of approximately 1,120 meters, which has limited its operational viability.
In January, Tura MP Saleng Sangma urged the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law, and Justice to take necessary steps to make Baljek Airport operational.
