Shillong: The Meghalaya government is in the process of acquiring an additional 60 acres of land for Baljek Airport, Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said.
Dhar informed that the government is awaiting a joint inspection with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to finalize the land acquisition.
The AAI had recommended a runway safety area of 240 meters by 60 meters for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations in a revised study in 2020. The study also found that the existing lighting infrastructure in phase one was insufficient, prompting the AAI to request the state government to acquire additional land.
The land acquisition process has been ongoing for several years, with the state government acquiring 153.13 acres between 1986 and 1989, and an additional 58 acres in 2014. The total land acquired so far stands at 211.13 acres, with an expenditure of Rs 3,57,97,775.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma expressed hope that Baljek Airport could become operational by 2026, with discussions underway with Alliance Air to operate 19-20 seater aircraft between Shillong and Tura. The government is committed to making the airport functional, ensuring that commercial flights land at Umroi and that Baljek operations begin at the earliest.
TMC chief Charles Pyngrope urged the government to secure land well in advance, cautioning that future expansions might become difficult 20 years down the line. Pyngrope also suggested assessing the feasibility of accommodating larger aircraft to avoid expansion challenges similar to those faced by Umroi Airport.
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Shillong: The Meghalaya government is in the process of acquiring an additional 60 acres of land for Baljek Airport, Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said.
Shillong: The Meghalaya government is in the process of acquiring an additional 60 acres of land for Baljek Airport, Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said.
Dhar informed that the government is awaiting a joint inspection with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to finalize the land acquisition.
The AAI had recommended a runway safety area of 240 meters by 60 meters for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations in a revised study in 2020. The study also found that the existing lighting infrastructure in phase one was insufficient, prompting the AAI to request the state government to acquire additional land.
The land acquisition process has been ongoing for several years, with the state government acquiring 153.13 acres between 1986 and 1989, and an additional 58 acres in 2014. The total land acquired so far stands at 211.13 acres, with an expenditure of Rs 3,57,97,775.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma expressed hope that Baljek Airport could become operational by 2026, with discussions underway with Alliance Air to operate 19-20 seater aircraft between Shillong and Tura. The government is committed to making the airport functional, ensuring that commercial flights land at Umroi and that Baljek operations begin at the earliest.
TMC chief Charles Pyngrope urged the government to secure land well in advance, cautioning that future expansions might become difficult 20 years down the line. Pyngrope also suggested assessing the feasibility of accommodating larger aircraft to avoid expansion challenges similar to those faced by Umroi Airport.