Umroi, Oct 7: A public hearing was held today at Umroi to give an opportunity for locals to provide their feedback to the plan to expand the airport there.
The current area under Umroi Airport stands at around 5,000 square metres and the state government and Airports Authority of India (AAI) have decided to double that amount with the aim of drastically increasing air connectivity to the state.
The public hearing was organised by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board. During the public consultation, village leaders and landowners expressed their support for the project, acknowledging its potential benefits for the state’s progress. However, they urged the authorities to ensure employment opportunities for local youth and to guarantee that the project is fully completed and operational, rather than being abandoned midway, which would otherwise cause losses to the public and the state.
Under the plan, the airport would expand to 10,500 square metres. Rs 500 crore has been sanctioned for the expansion.
At present, only small aircraft are able to operate at Umroi due to the limited runway length. However, once the expansion is completed, the airport will be capable of handling larger jet aircraft, such as the Airbus A320. The expanded area will also allow parking for five Airbus A320 aircraft at a time, compared to only four smaller aeroplanes currently.
Representatives from the AAI informed the gathering that the expansion will cover the runway, taxiway and terminal building, all aimed at improving operational efficiency and passenger experience.
They further explained that after the expansion, Umroi Airport will be able to support direct flights to major Indian cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai, among others, bypassing the need to travel via Guwahati.
