SHILLONG : Tourism Minister Timothy D. Shira on Tuesday said that the Meghalaya government is still awaiting the release of Rs 50 crore sanctioned by the central government for the proposed extension of Baljek Airport.
Speaking to reporters, Shira stated that although the amount has already been sanctioned, the funds have not yet been placed at the disposal of the state government.
“Rs 50 crore has been sanctioned, but the money has not been released to the state government so far,” the minister said.
Commenting on the possibility of upgrading the airport to handle larger aircraft, Shira expressed doubts, citing limited land availability at the site.
“It may not be possible to extend the runway to accommodate aircraft like the Airbus, as land available there is very limited. However, smaller aircraft carrying around 60 passengers will be able to operate from Baljek,” he added.
The minister further clarified that there are no current plans to develop a larger airport at Baljek due to land constraints.
“I think it will be difficult to acquire land there to develop a big airport,” Shira said.
As an alternative approach to boost tourism connectivity, the tourism minister highlighted the state government’s plan to develop helipads at district headquarters, including Balpakram.
“Helipads will be developed at the headquarters of every district so that tourism can be promoted, even to remote destinations like Balpakram,” he added.