The long-awaited expansion of Shillong Airport in Meghalaya continues to face delays despite key approvals and the awarding of a construction contract, as aviation safety clearances remain pending. The matter has now come under the scrutiny of the Meghalaya High Court, which has expressed concern over the delay in starting on-ground work.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh noted that construction was expected to begin nearly 45 days ago. However, the mandatory safety clearance required for deployment of machinery and construction equipment has not yet been granted, preventing the project from moving into the execution phase.
The court observed that further delays could impact both the project timeline and overall cost, potentially increasing the financial burden on the public exchequer. It stressed that timely approval of clearances is essential for the smooth implementation of infrastructure projects of this scale.
The airport modernisation project aims to improve air connectivity to Meghalaya and reduce dependence on road travel to Guwahati. Although environmental clearance was granted in March and the construction contract awarded shortly thereafter, physical work has yet to commence.
During the hearing, the Advocate General informed the court that the land exchange process with defence authorities has been completed, clearing a major hurdle for the runway expansion. The Deputy Solicitor General of India stated that technical and safety documents are currently under review by the Airports Authority of India before being forwarded to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for final approval.
The court has sought a status update in the next hearing and urged expedited processing of pending clearances to avoid further delays in the project.