Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court has ordered an immediate end to the bureaucratic gridlock stalling the Shillong Airport runway expansion. A Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengsoh, demanded a resolution to the years-long project delay by July 31.
The court formed a high-level committee to force cooperation between state officials and aviation regulators. This panel includes the Chief Secretary, the Commissioner and Secretary of Transport, the PWD Secretary, the General Manager of the Airports Authority of India, and the Joint Director General of the DGCA. The Commissioner and Secretary of Transport will serve as the nodal officer for the project.
Regulators remain ready to approve the construction. The DGCA requires the state to provide a formal undertaking confirming the removal of all physical obstacles in flight paths and landing zones. The court found previous government affidavits insufficient. It ordered the panel to finalize the plan and submit new documentation.
“If necessary, parties are to visit the site to enable them to get a clear picture of the issues,” the court stated in its order. Committee members must meet before the July 31 deadline to break the stalemate.
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