Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has described the expansion of Umroi Airport as a potential game changer for the state, projecting that the development could generate at least 20,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
Dhar said the airport’s expansion would go beyond improving connectivity, opening up opportunities for tourism and enabling local products to reach international markets.
“Once Umroi Airport is ready for big flights, I’m telling you, it is a game changer for the whole state of Meghalaya,” Dhar said.
Emphasising the wider economic impact, he said the state should look beyond exporting products and focus on the tourism opportunities that improved air connectivity could bring.
“Don’t talk about selling your products, please talk about the coming of tourism directly. And minimum 20,000 get employment directly and indirectly,” he said.
Dhar acknowledged that expanding the airport was a challenging undertaking, stressing that the process required considerable effort.
“You know very well now expansion is not a joke, it’s hard work,” he said.
The proposed expansion is expected to strengthen Meghalaya’s air connectivity and support tourism, trade and related businesses. However, Dhar’s projection of at least 20,000 jobs remains an estimate, and no details on the timeline for achieving the employment target were provided in his remarks.
The project’s progress and the scale of its eventual economic impact will be key factors in determining whether the airport can deliver the tourism and employment opportunities envisioned by the Deputy Chief Minister.