SHILLONG, July 16 ? Chairman of North Eastern Council (NEC) Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh today reviewed the status of Meghalaya?s Baljek airport, lying incomplete for nine years, and enquired about its operatability. Singh, who is also the Assam Governor, went to the incomplete airport in West Garo Hills district town on way to Guwahati and had a review session with the officials.
He found out the status and queried what type of aircraft could operate from there, Deputy Commissioner of the district, S Jagannathan, told PTI over phone. The work of the Baljek airport, the second one of Meghalaya after Umroi near here, was ?disturbed? by the antisocials and it was lying unused and incomplete for the last nine years.
The State Government had earlier said it sanctioned Rs 12. 21 crore and relased to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for constructing the airport at Tura in West Garo hills district. Construction of terminal building, fencing, air traffic control building and residential quarters for the airport has been completed and other remaining work was in progress, the government had said.
The airport was initially designed for small aircraft and accordingly a 1100-metre runway was laid. But since small aircraft were ?no more in use? in the country, the government took up the matter with the AAI for extension of the runway by another 700 metre to enable ATR-42 type of aircraft to operate. Jagannathan also said the NEC chairman, who arrived at Tura yesterday afternoon, also reviewed other two projects ? the 33 kV power line and coal export routes ? being funded by the Council.