Meghalaya High Court Urges Swift Action on Shillong Airport Expansion

Court Directs Authorities to Expedite Airport Development

Shillong, July 16: The Meghalaya High Court has instructed the Ministry of Defence, the Meghalaya State Government, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the Director General of Civil Aviation to accelerate the long-awaited expansion of Shillong Airport.

This directive was issued following the court's review of a report from the AAI in response to a public interest litigation (PIL).

The division bench, led by Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh, remarked, "Upon reviewing this report, it is evident that only the fundamental preliminary work necessary for the expansion and enhancement of Shillong Airport has been completed. A significant amount of work remains to be done promptly to ensure the project becomes operational soon."

The court emphasized that all relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Defence, the State Government, AAI, and DGCA, must exert the necessary effort to facilitate the project's operational status.

Additionally, the bench mandated that a note prepared by the State Government regarding the project be included as an annexure to an affidavit submitted by a qualified officer of the State, which is to be filed in court by July 18.

Upon reviewing the note, the High Court observed that the expansion project requires 22 acres of land, with 10.30 acres needing to be acquired from Defence authorities. The State Government has approved the acquisition of 11.75 acres from private landowners for Rs 72.17 crore, with completion expected by the end of July.

The Ministry of Defence has granted permission for the State Government to commence work on the 10.30 acres of military land at Umroi Military Station, based on an agreement for the transfer of land of equivalent value to the Ministry.

According to a draft master plan, Runway 4 will be extended by 571 meters, bringing its total length to 2,400 meters.

Once the expansion is finalized, aircraft will land on Runway 22 and take off from Runway 4.

During the proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General of India Mozika indicated that tenders for the construction, renovation, and modification of the airport infrastructure would be issued by the AAI immediately after the land is transferred by the State and Defence authorities and following the acquisition of environmental clearance.

Mozika also mentioned that the AAI would tackle challenges such as mounds and trees obstructing the airport's flight path.

The court has scheduled a review of the project's progress for August 12.