Shillong, Nov 26: The state cabinet has given its approval for the purchase and exchange of land required for the expansion of the Shillong Airport, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced today.
He said the approval is essential to facilitate the airport’s runway expansion so that larger aircraft can land in the state.
Sangma informed that the tendering process for the project is already underway. “Whatever deeper consultation needs to be done with the local community and local headmen, we have requested the Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Transport (Sniawbhalang Dhar) to take the discussions forward so that the smooth exchange and purchase of land can take place. But in-principle approval has been given by the cabinet to go ahead,” he said after the meeting at Ward’s Lake.
The CM said the government is working on modalities related to land purchase, exchange and compensation, while the Airports Authority of India (AAI) continues to handle the tendering process. “We still have to buy the land. That was what the approval was for today,” he added.
Sangma said he recently met the Union Civil Aviation Minister and officials from the AAI, Civil Aviation Ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). A crucial meeting is scheduled for Friday to resolve pending issues raised by the DGCA. “We expect that after that meeting, the tendering process will get the green signal,” he said.
The contractor for the airport expansion is expected to be finalised by the end of the current calendar year. Once work begins, the expansion of the runway and associated constructions will take around 15 months to complete. “We are looking at March 2027 for the project to be completed,” he stated.
This was not the only land-related cabinet decision, with the government also approving the acquisition of paddy fields in Mawkhanu, part of the New Shillong Township (NST) area, from 17 farmers who have agreed to sell their land to the government.
The move comes after the farmers, who initially resisted the purchase when the township project began, relented. The scattered paddy fields will be utilised for further development of the NST, the CM said.
Sangma also announced that the government has purchased land in Jongksha for a public-private partnership (PPP) project aimed at developing tourism infrastructure, including a five-star hotel resort.
High-end tourism is a key feature of this government’s tourism policy and several such developments are in the works or have been completed.
“The Jongksha area, part of the popular Laitlum-Nongjrong belt, needed a luxury resort, and we’ve finalised the land purchase following proper procedures, including an expression of interest and committee recommendations,” Sangma said. The cabinet approved the move, aiming to tap into the area’s tourism potential.
Additionally, the government has approved buying land in Umden, known for its native silk industry, with Rs 50 crore allocated for constructing an access road to the village from Nongpoh. Locals have been pushing for tourist lodges and homestay facilities, which the government plans to develop, Sangma added.
Meanwhile, in Garo Hills, the government has decided to regularise encroachments on state-owned land in Tura, with long-term leases for the squatters.
Sangma said the move follows a similar policy adopted in Williamnagar a few years ago, aiming to settle disputes and prevent future complications. “The land will be classified as revenue land, with criteria set for regularisation, ensuring no more inconvenience or law-and-order issues,” he explained.
The first phase will cover localities where surveys, digital mapping, drone assessments and public hearings are complete. “We won’t force areas that haven’t agreed yet; we’ll continue discussions in the second phase,” the CM assured.
Sangma has a personal connection to the area as he is the MLA for South Tura. North Tura is also controlled by his party, the National People’s Party (NPP), while the Tura seat in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) is controlled by the sometime-rival-sometime-ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The GHADC will go to the polls next year.
Calling it a vital decision for Tura, Sangma highlighted personal engagement with the issue and expressed relief at resolving a longstanding problem and bringing clarity and peace to the occupants.
