By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 6: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday announced that the central government has awarded the contract for the expansion of the runway at Shillong Airport.
The project, expected to be completed in about 15 months, is expected to enable operations of larger aircraft and strengthen connectivity in Meghalaya.
Addressing a programme at Orchid Lake Resort in Umiam, Sangma said the work order for the project was issued by the Centre on April 1, and construction would begin shortly.
“I am happy to inform you that the work for the expansion of the runway has already been allotted. It was allotted on April 1 by the Government of India, and therefore, the runway work will start very soon. We expect the expansion work to be complete within 15 months, and we should be able to have larger aircraft coming into Shillong. This will be a great game changer for the tourism sector,” he said.
Under the expansion plan, the airport terminal area will be increased to 10,500 square metres at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore.
At present, only small aircraft operate from Umroi because of the limited runway length. After expansion, the airport will be capable of handling Airbus A320 and other larger aircraft. The upgraded apron will also allow parking for five Airbus A320 aircraft at a time, compared to four smaller aircraft at present.
Representatives of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said the expansion will cover the runway, taxiway, and terminal building, aimed at improving operational efficiency and passenger experience.
They said the upgraded airport would make it possible to operate direct flights from Shillong to major Indian cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai, reducing dependence on transit through Guwahati.
The High Court of Meghalaya was recently informed that the proposed airport expansion has received environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
In a fresh status report submitted on behalf of the AAI, the court was told that the expansion work has been awarded to KCC Buildcon Pvt Ltd. Deputy Solicitor General of India Nitesh Mozika submitted the report, which was taken on record.
According to Clause 6 of the work order, the contractor has been given 18 months, including three months accounting for rain, from the 10th day after issuance of the letter to complete the project.
The court was also informed that safety documents prepared during a stakeholders’ meeting held on April 8 were forwarded to the AAI headquarters for vetting before submission to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
