The Shillong Airport at Umroi will be able to accommodate bigger flights by 2026, as the government has started the process of expansion of the airport to boost Meghalaya’s tourism and connectivity, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma announced on Wednesday. He said larger commercial aircraft will be able to land at Umroi Airport by 2026, following a positive feasibility study and confirmation from airlines.
“Tourism is a great multiplier of investment, and we have immense potential in this sector. We are pushing like never before to start full-fledged commercial operations at Umroi Airport,” Sangma said while replying to the debate on the Governor’s address.
He revealed that an earlier report suggested that for Airbus A320 and equivalent aircraft to land, certain mountain obstacles needed to be removed, which would have cost the government Rs 7,000 crore. Given the impracticality of this, the government explored alternative solutions.
