Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: The Airports Authority of India is drafting a new master plan for Baljek Airport in Tura. Officials will conduct a LiDAR survey and feasibility assessment to check technical viability and land needs. Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar confirmed the update on August 26 during the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Autumn Session. He briefed MLA Miani D Shira on the project status.
Expansion aims to host ATR-72/Q400 and A320-category aircraft. The state government signed an operations and maintenance memorandum of understanding with the AAI. They plan to take over, develop, and run the site on an "as-is-where-is" basis. This is a big move. The facility has sat idle without regular commercial flights since its 2008 opening.
Government leaders offered to pay the estimated project costs upfront in July to speed up the process. Once the AAI identifies exact land requirements, the state will begin the acquisition phase. This project serves as a push to link the Garo Hills to the rest of the region.
Updated at 27th August 2026 at 1:49am
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma set a firm target for September 2027 to get the airport running. The state already cleared 85 crore rupees for upgrades, which will flow to the Airports Authority of India once the operations and maintenance pact moves forward. Officials expect the handover to wrap up by September, kicking off eight to nine months of work to fix the runway and renovate aging buildings.
While construction crews prep the site, the government is scouting 19-seater aircraft operators for potential routes to Kolkata and Shillong. Sangma stressed the personal significance of the project, noting he pressed the Union civil aviation minister to treat the airport's activation as a gift to the state. The state signed the formal operations and maintenance memorandum of understanding on May 6, 2025.
Updated at 27th August 2026 at 5:45am
The state currently holds 211.13 acres at the site, but officials confirmed the Airports Authority of India demands an additional 68 acres for Phase I of the project to accommodate 72-seater aircraft. A joint inspection between state officials and the authority will determine the final layout to avoid future snags.
State leaders intend to kick off operations using 19-seater Dornier aircraft via Alliance Air under the UDAN scheme. Beyond the construction concerns, the government is addressing security at the site after reports that the abandoned facility has become a haunt for anti-social elements. Authorities promised to deploy personnel to protect the terminal and grounds from further damage.
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