Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar informed the Assembly today that the state government is in the process of acquiring an additional 60 acres of land for Baljek Airport. He said the government is awaiting a joint inspection with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to finalise the land acquisition.
Dhar highlighted that a revised study by the AAI in 2020 recommended a runway safety area of 240 metres by 60 metres for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations and found that the existing lighting infrastructure in phase one was insufficient. Based on this assessment, the AAI requested the state government to acquire an additional 60 acres, apart from the 50 acres acquired earlier.
Raising concerns over the 17-year delay in operationalising the airport, TMC MLA Rupa Marak sought answers from the government. Responding to the query, Dhar detailed the land acquisition process over the years, stating that between 1986 and 1989, the state government had acquired 153.13 acres. On July 21, 2014, another 58 acres were added, bringing the total land acquired so far to 211.13 acres, with an expenditure of Rs 3,57,97,775. Dhar assured that the state government is committed to making the airport operational within a year or two and has already accepted the AAI’s request for a joint inspection to ensure proper identification of the additional land required.
TMC chief and Nongthymmai legislator Charles Pyngrope suggested that while acquiring additional land, the government should assess the feasibility of accommodating larger aircraft to avoid a situation similar to Umroi Airport, where expansion challenges arose later.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma acknowledged the concern, stating that while expanding for larger aircraft had been considered, the feasibility and cost aspects had led to delays. He said that the AAI had raised several concerns about the investment required, and after discussions, they reached a middle ground, deciding to start with ATR operations similar to those in Shillong.
Sangma expressed hope that Baljek Airport could become operational by 2026, adding that discussions had taken place with Alliance Air, which had expressed interest in operating 19-20 seater aircraft between Shillong and Tura. He assured that the government is committed to making the airport functional, ensuring that commercial flights land at Umroi and that Baljek operations begin at the earliest.
Pyngrope further urged the government to secure land well in advance, cautioning that 20 years down the line, acquiring additional land might become difficult if future expansions are needed.
