Shillong, Dec 3: The Meghalaya High Court on Thursday directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to submit independent reports related to the development and expansion of the Umroi airport.

Hearing a PIL, the Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh said, “…hence  for the DGCA and the AAI to file independent reports as to the development or expansion plans, within the constraints, that may be undertaken within the next two or three years.”

The matter pertains to the development and possible expansion of the facilities at the Umroi Airport which is about an hour’s drive from Shillong, off the Guwahati-Shillong Highway.

During the hearing, the state informed that a new greenfield project to set up an airport was also under consideration, but the feasibility study undertaken shows that the requisite expansion may not be warranted on the basis of the projected estimates of use and footfall.

“Within the constraints, the Umroi Airport should be developed and expanded, even if not to cater to larger aircraft, so that there may be more flights and the additional detour through Guwahati is avoided by passengers to and from this state,” the bench said.

Earlier, the AAI informed that the instrument landing system has been installed to enable flights to operate in instruments flight rules conditions when the visibility is poor.

It was also agreed all round that connectivity to Shillong, serviced by the Umroi Airport, has improved and there are now regular flights, inter alia, to Dimapur, Dibrugarh, Imphal and Kolkata.

However, the respondent authorities submit that the cost-benefit analysis and feasibility studies conducted do not reveal any significant increase in footfall if the Umroi Airport is expanded. In any event, the cost of expansion may also not be justified.