The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday directed key stakeholders — including the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the state government, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — to submit a short action taken report on the expansion of the Shillong airport by August 12.
A division bench led by Chief Justice IP Mukerji issued the directive while reviewing progress in a public interest litigation concerning the long-pending development of the Umroi airport. The matter was last heard on May 15.
The court acknowledged that initial groundwork has commenced but emphasized that substantial efforts are still needed to advance the project. “Essential preliminary work has been initiated,” the bench observed, “but substantial work is yet to be completed.”
During the hearing, the additional advocate general submitted a state government note detailing land acquisition plans and infrastructural proposals. The court directed that the note be annexed to an affidavit and filed by July 18.
According to the state’s submission, the expansion requires 22.05 acres of land to extend runway 4 by 571 metres, increasing its total length to 2,400 metres. Of this, 10.30 acres are to be acquired from the Ministry of Defence, while 11.75 acres are to be purchased from private landowners.
The state cabinet approved the acquisition of private land for ₹72.17 crore on June 4, with completion expected by the end of July. The Ministry of Defence had already sanctioned the use of its land in April, on the condition that land of equal value is transferred to it by the state.
The Deputy Solicitor General, representing AAI, informed the court that tenders for construction and infrastructure will be issued immediately after land transfer and environmental clearance. He also noted that physical obstructions such as trees and mounds along the flight path would have to be cleared.
The court urged all concerned authorities — including the state government, Ministry of Defence, AAI, and DGCA — to take “expeditious steps” to operationalise the expansion project, which has strategic importance for improving air connectivity in the Northeast.
