CM announces Rs 50 crore sanction to AAI for revival of airport in western Meghalaya

Shillong, Nov 17 (PTI) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday announced that the state government will sanction Rs 50 crore this month to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the development of the Airport at Jengjal in West Garo Hills district.

The CM made this announcement at a function after inaugurating a new police station building in West Garo Hills.

The airport, officially known as Baljek Airport, has remained unutilised for years and is currently in a dilapidated condition.

The project, conceived in the early 1980s and sanctioned in 1995, is widely associated with CM's father, former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma, under whose tenure the proposal gained momentum.

It was inaugurated in 2008 by then President Pratibha Patil but has since seen no commercial operations due to infrastructure and runway limitations.

The state government had earlier this year signed an MoU with the Airports Authority of India to operationalise the airport, including O&M and technical management, paving the way for the revival work announced on Monday.

Sangma said the airport will soon see operations by 19-seater aircraft under Air Alliance, with Shillong-Tura flights being prioritised.

He said the government is also identifying land in Jengjal to develop a permanent venue for major events, noting the area's growing strategic significance in Garo Hills.

Earlier, inaugurating the new Jengjal Police Station building, the chief minister said the facility has been constructed as per Government of India norms and forms part of the government's broader plan to upgrade police infrastructure across Meghalaya.

He said the Police Infrastructure Renovation Fund has eased repair and renovation works, and added that recruitment to fill more than 3,000 police vacancies is in its final stage. PTI JOP RG