The Meghalaya High Court has today said that landing and take-off of mid-size aircraft at Umroi airport is possible.
The court cited the example of Paro International Airport in Bhutan where despite various challenges, international flights, which are bigger in size were able to land and take off.
The division bench of Chief Justice S Vaidyanathan and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh during today’s hearing of a PIL on the matter also examined the report of the recent visit to Paro International Airport by judges of the High Court, officials of Airports Authority of India and others.
“A close scrutiny of the report clearly unravels that when the Bhutan government is able to operate international flights, which are bigger in size, in their most challenging airport situated at Paro, permitting mid-size aircrafts to land and take off in Umroi Airport is much easier for the reason that as stated in the report, the optical surface limitation in the Paro Airport is less than 500 metres towards North-East direction, whereas such limitation in Umroi Airport is more or less 5kms, which, according to pilots and other officers is not much challenging one,” the court said.
According to the High Court, the mountain (Cluster-I) at Umroi Airport is situated 5 km away in the direction following Runway-22, which can no longer be cited as a reason for non-expansion of the airport. It also said that in Paro Airport, bigger aircrafts are operational with the optical surface limitation of less than 500 metres, which is 10 times lesser than Umroi Airport.
“In addition to the above, the Paro Airport is situated 7000 feet above sea level and there will not be much difficulty in operating midsize aircraft in Umroi Airport, having built up 3000 feet above the sea level,” the High Court said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Solicitor General of India Nitesh Mozika who appeared on behalf of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has sought time from the High Court to file the LiDAR Report, based on which suitable decision will be taken in respect of grant of permission in operating mid-size aircraft.
The High Court also asked the State government and Centre to make an endeavour for operating hopping flights to Shillong from major cities like Cochin, Chennai, Delhi and Bangalore via Bhopal at least twice a week, i.e., on Thursdays and Mondays.
“This suggestion is extended by us for the growth and development of the tourism industry and also for providing employment opportunities for the downtrodden in Meghalaya, so as to achieve the goal of our mission and vision, 2047 for the development of our nation as a whole,” the High Court said.
