"Better Serviced Airport Necessity For Meghalaya": High Court Suggests State To Identity Land For Acquisition

The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday suggested to the State government to locate suitable areas of land for the construction of a greenfield airport, as the current Umroi airport near Shillong is unable to accommodate larger aircrafts.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W. Diengdoh was hearing a PIL pertaining to augmenting the facilities at the existing airport. It observed,

"In the development trajectory that Meghalaya seems to have embarked on, a better serviced airport is an absolute necessity for the further prosperity of the State, including as a tourist hub. However, at the end of the day it is for the State government to decide and if both the State and the Union are reluctant to set up a new airport, it is not a matter that the Court can interfere with or impose its will. This is because any new project would require a cost-benefit analysis to be made and however strong the perception may be that a new airport may give a fillip to the State or its development, the numbers have to be worked out on paper and the Court obviously lacks the expertise in such regard," it observed.

The bench noted that the nearest big airport outside the State which serves the entire State of Meghalaya was at Guwahati, at the distance of about 120 km from Shillong, which takes more than three hours to cover by road. The Airport Authority of India had also in its reports indicated that Umroi Airport may not be the ideal location for expansion of the airport to receive bigger aircrafts since the extension of the runway involves felling hills at a high cost.

The bench was further informed that an effort was made last year to invite offers from landowners for selling land for the proposed new airport. However, only one major offer was made which failed the pre-feasibility study due to high cost.

AAI thus suggested that instead of seeking offers from landowners for the project, the State and AAI could jointly identify certain pockets where it may be feasible to put up a new airport to receive wide-bodied aircraft, and the State could thereafter acquire the requisite land and make it over to AAI.

Finding merit in this suggestion, the bench said the State could collaborate with the AAI to identify feasible locations for a new airport, discreetly acquiring land without the middlemen inflating prices.

Terming the process a matter of policy which the State has to consider and the Court has to yield to the State in such regard, the Court however reminded the State to take all relevant considerations into account and eschew considering private interests in the decision-making process.

The next hearing of the case will be held on May 9.

Case Title: Registrar General, High Court of Meghalaya Vs State of Meghalaya.

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