Cabinet mulls Shillong Airport expansion

Shillong: Meghalaya cabinet on Wednesday discussed the long-delayed expansion of Shillong Airport at Umroi, which has been stalled due to technical challenges.
Chief minister Conrad Sangma shared updates following the cabinet meeting, saying, “The Cabinet focused on the Shillong Airport expansion, which had been delayed due to technical reports highlighting various challenges.However, a recent LiDAR survey has identified viable alternatives for extending the runway to accommodate larger aircraft like Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.”
He further mentioned that the state govt is in talks with the Government of India to secure the necessary clearances and approvals. “We are optimistic about executing the expansion master plan effectively,” the CM said.
In addition to the airport expansion, the cabinet approved new amendments to the Meghalaya Excise Rules. These changes will introduce a composite license for hotels, eliminating the need for separate licenses for food and beverage services, such as hotel, restaurant, and bar licenses. The CM explained that the move aims to streamline the licensing process, especially with the rise of 5-star hotels in the state.