SHILLONG: The Meghalaya High Court has called upon the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to explore the possibility of establishing a direct flight route between Shillong and Bhopal, specifically on Fridays and Sundays.
During a hearing related to the development and expansion of facilities at Umroi’s Shillong Airport on Monday, the division bench consisting of Chief Justice S. Vaidyanathan and Justice W. Diengdoh highlighted this issue.
“Since Shillong is a tourist place, the officials stated that more small aircrafts are required from various places to Shillong to develop tourism,” it was quoted by the press as saying.
The court highlighted that, in the “national interest”, AAI should ensure the availability of connected flights on these days to Bhopal from major cities or states such as Chennai, Kerala, Kolkata, Guwahati, and Shillong.
One of the key reasons behind this observation is the inconvenience faced by judges who must attend conferences at the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal almost every weekend for conferences.
The judges had previously inspected the Shillong airport runway on March 13 and found that it needs to be widened to accommodate flights carrying more than 200 passengers.
The court plans to visit three other airports, in Bhutan, Leh, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to gather firsthand information on their physical and technical specifications.
This information will be used to replicate similar improvements at the Shillong airport.
The court underscored its right to inspect various aerodromes under the Code of Civil Procedure to enhance facilities for landing larger aircraft at the Shillong airport.
The state government has pledged to cover travel expenses for these visits, expressing interest in developing a larger airport in Meghalaya to attract tourists.
The court expects the involvement of relevant parties, including the amicus curiae, respondents’ counsel, and state and AAI officials, in these inspections scheduled from April 10 to 18.
The matter is set for further discussion on April 29.
