SHILLONG, SEPT 15: With the increase inflow of tourists into the state, the Meghalaya State Planning Board (MSPB) today viewed that improving the air connectivity has become important to further boost tourism industry in the state.
“The urgency (for better air connectivity) is in view that there have been 9 lakh domestic tourists and 8,500 foreign tourists who have visited the state last year,” MSPB co-chairman John F Kharshiing said after a meeting with the officials of the transport department here on Friday.
Stating that tourists’ inflow has increased by 20 per cent annually, Kharshiing said this will further boost the tourism industry in the state besides generating employment for the local people.
He informed that the Umroi airport and Baljek airport have been classified as under-served and unserved airports.
According to him, the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN) or RCS was launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to provide air connectivity to under-served and unserved airports of the country including in the Northeast.
Air Deccan has won the rights to fly in the Northeast by connecting Umroi airport in Meghalaya with a few airports in the region like Agartala (Tripura), Aizawl (Mizoram), Dimapur (Nagaland), Imphal (Manipur) and Silchar (Assam).
Air Deccan was supposed to start flight operations in the Umroi airport from September 1.
“However, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) wanted that the construction of the boundary to be completed first,” Kharshiing said.
He said that with the recent intervention of the Supreme Court, the process of land acquisition for expansion of the Umroi airport is going on.
“Once the boundary is completed, the AAI will immediately install the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Night Landing System (NLS) facilities to facilitate regular landing of big aircrafts,” he said while informing that the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower is under construction and is likely to be completed within this financial year.
At present, the length of the runway of the Umroi airport is 1829 meters (1.8 km), he said adding that another 2km is required for the expansion project.
He said that the talk on the proposed relocation of the Umroi market is going on between the deputy commissioner, Syiem of Hima Mylliem and the dorbar Shnong.
Kharshiing also informed that the Baljek airport in Garo Hills region, which is non-functional, has been included in the second bidding of the UDAN scheme.
“The flow of tourists into the state will increase manifold if the Umroi airport is completed,” he said.
On the other hand, Kharshiing informed that the board has also asked the department to investigate on the existing airstrips at Nangalbibra and Shella, which have remain unused for past decades.
Meanwhile, the transport department informed that it is in the process of setting up helipads in all the districts of the state as part of the disaster preparedness.
“In Khasi Hills, a land in Umsawli (New Shillong Township) and another in Araimile near Tura, West Garo Hills have been identified for the purpose, while for the others it is going on,” he said.
By Our Reporter
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