Hima Sohra has offered land to the State government for setting up a full-fledged airport for the State.
Freeman Sing Syiem, the Syiem of Hima Sohra, today met Governor C H Vijayashankar at Raj Bhavan to discuss the matter.
During the meeting, Syiem offered a proposal to allocate land in Sohra for the development of a full-fledged airport under the Government of India’s UDAAN Scheme.
“The UDAAN Scheme, aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and providing affordable air travel to underserved areas, aligns with the state’s vision for improved infrastructure and tourism. Syiem’s generous offer of land reflects the commitment of local leaders to contribute to Meghalaya’s growth and development,” said a statement issued by the Governor’s office.
The statement also said that the Governor has assured Syiem that the proposal would be forwarded to the relevant authorities for consideration.
Stating that the Governor expressed his gratitude for the initiative of Hima Sohra and highlighted the importance of such infrastructure projects in boosting the State’s economy and accessibility, the statement mentioned that “this development will mark a significant step towards improving connectivity in the region and promoting tourism in the iconic Sohra area, further supporting Meghalaya’s development goals”.
However, the statement did not mention the area in Hima Sohra where the land was proposed for the airport nor the size of the area for such purpose.
For smaller planes with a single runway and a small control tower, an airport needs land of 1500 acres. Further, for an airport for large planes and more than one runway and a staffed control tower, a minimum of 3000 acres is needed.
At present, the Shillong Airport at Umroi has connections with several North East cities and Kolkata through the central government’s subsidised UDAN scheme.
The State government has entered into a partnership with SpiceJet to fly from Umroi to New Delhi. This flight is not daily, however, and the government is looking to introduce one as well as flights to Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.
