Shillong: Union Civil Aviation Minister, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia has written to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, requesting his personal intervention in expediting various matters for strengthening aviation infrastructure in the State.
In a letter to Chief Minister, Scindia has requested Sangma’s personal intervention in the expeditious operationalisation of Tura Airport in West Garo Hills district.
The Civil Aviation minister mentioned that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched RCS – UDAN to enhance regional air connectivity from unserved and underserved airports in the country by making air travel affordable to the masses.
Tura airport figures in the tentative list of unserved airports. Bids for Helicopter operations have been received for two RCS routes i.e., Shillong to Tura vv and Guwahati to Tura vv in special round of bidding 4.1 and the same is likely to be finalised soon as per the provisions of Scheme document.
The Civil Aviation Minister also drew the attention of Sangma on the request of the Meghalaya Government to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for taking over the Tura Airport, AAI had forwarded a draft MOU to State Government in 2013 and for expansion and development of the airport for operationalization of ATR-72 type of aircraft.
The AAI submitted a proposal for the acquisition of 56.5 acres of land and a DPR with a development cost of Rs.183.63 Crores to the State Government vide letter dated June 12, 2017. Moreover, the AAI had also requested for additional information regarding existing infrastructure, land, finance, traffic demand and action plan.
In fact, the Meghalaya Government had informed the Ministry of Civil Aviation that the survey is complete and the process of obstacle removal is being initiated.
