Shillong, Aug 13: Work on the expansion of the runway at Shillong Airport in Umroi has commenced after necessary clearances were secured, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Thursday.
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Sangma said the project had faced delays over clearances but these were resolved following discussions with authorities in New Delhi. “I am happy to announce that the work for the extension of the runway has started. This is a very, very important step for us,” he said.
The project involves extending the existing runway from 1,829 metres to 2,400 metres to enable the airport to handle larger aircraft and improve direct connectivity. The government has earmarked ₹150 crore for Umroi Airport in the 2026-27 budget.
According to the Chief Minister, the runway extension is expected to be completed within 15 months, though efforts are on to finish it earlier. A government submission before the High Court had earlier stated that the work order was awarded to KCC Buildcon Pvt. Ltd. on April 1, 2026, with an 18-month construction period including three monsoon months.
The Airports Authority of India has also received environmental clearance on March 28, 2026 for the wider expansion, which includes the terminal building, apron and allied works. The state is also seeking execution-level approval from the DGCA and working on removal of identified flight-path obstacles.
Sangma said the upgraded facility is expected to allow larger flights from major metropolitan cities to land directly at Umroi from 2027. “We do hope and expect that the larger flights from the different metro will be landing directly at Umroi Airport,” he said.
