Shillong, Sept 15: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) wanted to complete the construction of boundary wall first before installing facilities like Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Night Landing System (NLS) in Umroi Airport.
This was briefed by the Transport department during a meeting of the Meghalaya State Planning Board (MSPB) chaired by its chairman, S.C. Marak.
Installing ILS and NLS facilities would facilitate regular landing of bigger aircrafts.
MSPB co-chairman, John F. Kharshiing said that Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN) or RCS was launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to provide air connectivity to under-served and unserved airports including in the Northeast.
“The Umroi airport and Baljek airport have been classified as under-served and unserved airports,” he said.
Air Deccan has won the rights to fly in the Northeast by connecting Umroi airport in Meghalaya with a few airports in the region like Agartala (Tripura), Aizawl (Mizoram), Dimapur (Nagaland), Imphal (Manipur) and Silchar (Assam).
“The Air Deccan was to start flight operations in Umroi airport from September 1, but the AAI wanted that the construction of the boundary should be completed first,” Kharshiing said.
“Once the boundary is completed, the AAI will immediately install the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Night Landing System (NLS) facilities to facilitate regular landing of big aircrafts,” he said while informing that the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower is under construction and is likely to be completed within this financial year.
He said that with the recent intervention of the Supreme Court, the process of land acquisition for expansion of the Umroi airport is going on.
The runway of the Umroi airport is 1829 meters (1.8 km), and another 2km is required for expansion of the project.
The Baljek airport in Garo Hills region, which is non-functional, has been included in the second bidding of the UDAN scheme,” he said.
According to John, if Umroi airport is completed, the flow of tourists into the state will also increase manifold.
The board has also asked the department to investigate on the existing airstrips at Nangalbibra and Shella, which might have remain unused for past decades.
“The transport department informed that it is in the process of setting up helipads in all the districts of the state as part of the disaster preparedness,” he said.
He said that in Khasi Hills, a land at Umsawli (New Shillong Township) and another at Araimile near Tura, West Garo Hills have been identified for the purpose.