By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Work on the long-awaited expansion of Shillong Airport remains stuck despite key approvals and the award of a construction contract, with pending aviation safety clearances preventing the project from moving to the execution stage.
The issue came under scrutiny in the Meghalaya High Court, where a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh noted that construction was expected to begin about 45 days ago.
However, the required safety approval has yet to be issued, delaying the start of on-ground activities.
The Bench observed that the clearance is essential before machinery and construction equipment can be deployed at the site. It cautioned that any prolonged delay could affect both the completion schedule and the overall cost of the project, ultimately increasing the financial burden on the public.
The airport modernisation project is aimed at improving connectivity to Meghalaya and reducing dependence on the road journey to Guwahati. Although environmental permission was granted in March and the construction contract was awarded soon after, work has not commenced so far.
During the proceedings, Advocate General A. Kumar informed the court that the land exchange process with defence authorities has been completed, removing a major obstacle to the planned runway expansion.
The court was also informed by Deputy Solicitor General of India Dr Mozika that technical and safety-related documents are still under review by the Airports Authority of India headquarters.
Once that process is completed, the papers will be forwarded to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for examination and approval.
The project involves increasing the runway length, expanding terminal infrastructure and developing an additional apron for aircraft operations.
Under the terms of the contract awarded to M/s KCC Buildcon Pvt. Ltd., the work is to be completed within 18 months. The timeline includes a provision for weather-related disruptions during Meghalaya’s monsoon period.
Seeking progress on the matter, the High Court asked the Deputy Solicitor General to provide an update at the next hearing regarding the status of the pending approvals.
The court also called for quicker processing of the remaining clearances to avoid further setbacks to the project.