After discussions with officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI) and pilots, the Meghalaya High Court opined that it is absolutely possible to land and take off mid-size aircraft apart from ATR in the runway of Umroi Airport, having the length of 6000 square feet.
The division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice S Vaidyanathan and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh made the observations while hearing a PIL on the matter today. They also mentioned their visits to the airports and Leh and Port Blair where they met AAI representatives and obtained their opinion and views so as to implement the same in Umroi Airport at Shillong.
“Pilots themselves stated that landing and taking off in Leh Airport is really a challenging one, as the same is situated in between the Himalayas and since visual landing facility is intact therein, they do not find it much difficult in executing their job therein. In our view, compared to Leh Airport, the operation of bigger aircrafts at Umroi Airport may not be that much difficulty, as the only hurdle that stands in preventing the development of expansion is Cluster-I, which is of course situated 5 kms away in the direction following Runway-22 as pointed out by the Amicus Curiae,” the court said.
According to the High Court, the only facility which pilots expect from the State government is to introduce Visual Landing System, proper training and infrastructure in coordination with the Central government.
“This court expects the State government to coordinate with the Central government to find out the possibility to expand the airport at Shillong, which not only fetches income to the State, but also is beneficial to its citizens,” the High Court said. It also asked the AAI to file a LiDAR survey report on August 2.
Phuyosas Yobin who was appointed as an Amicus Curiae to assist the High Court in his detailed report dated June 21, 2024 stated in 2009 on the intervention of the High Court, land measuring about 224.16 acres was acquired for the purpose of expansion of the Umroi Airport to enable operations of Aircrafts like Boeing 373 and Airbus A320.
“The total area of the airport is measured as 416.16 acres with the total length of the runway assessed as 6000.06 feet. There are two runways called Runway-22 and Runway-04 and flights land and take off from Runway-22 and a mountain is situated beyond 10 kms away from the end of Runway-04. An Instrument Landing System (ILS) is available in Runway-22 and a night landing facility is also available,” Yobin said in his report.
Stating that Cluster-I causes hindrance for the expansion of runway, which is situated beyond 5 kms in the direction following Runway-22 on visual assumptions, Yobin said that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation refused to give its approval for operation of bigger aircrafts at Umroi Airport on account of setting up of ILS instead of Visual Landing System and also non removal of the obstructions.
Yobin also stated that he visited Leh and Port Blair airports and met AAI officials, who had said to be stated that the runway of those airports had been expanded to 10000 square feet and bigger aircrafts are permitted to be operated at Leh Airport (which is more or less similar to Umroi Airport), inspite of high snow cape, which is 1 to 2 kms nearer to the end of runway, as the Visual Landing System is followed there.
He also stated in the report that as per his discussion with AAI officials, 6000 feet runway is sufficient for landing A320 aircrafts, provided training is imparted to pilots to land and take off in such airports and the visual mode facility should be set up to enable pilots to execute their job perfectly.
