Shillong, May 12: Meghalaya High Court today warned the Airports Authority of India (AAI) of handing over the work relating to the expansion of the Umroi airport to another agency, including the defence and for its failure to complete the work and make the airport fully functional.
This warning was given to the AAI when the high court heard a pending suo moto case today in connection with the undue delay of the expansion at Umroi airport.
The airport is located at Umroi under Ri Bhoi district, around 35km from the state capital Shillong.
The case was taken up in the bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice S.R. Sen. The matter, was taken up in the morning session, which continued till noon. As the court wanted specific assurance from the AAI regarding the timeframe to complete the expansion, the hearing was adjourned but resumed from 2.15pm.
While pulling up the AAI and other authorities, including the Meghalaya government, for not “being serious and showing no co-operation” towards the efforts of completing the project, the Chief Justice expressed disappointment over the manner in which the expansion work has progressed, and made some strong remarks especially against the AAI.
Holding the AAI responsible for the failure to make the airport fully functional, even after 56 years of its establishment, the Chief Justice said, “The AAI has not only tried to befool the people of Meghalaya by justifying, on absurd grounds, for the undue delay, but it also befools the court by showing postures of failures through cheating.”?
The court pointed out that though the AAI had procured the instrument landing system meant to be installed at Umroi airport at the cost of Rs 2.11 crore, it but the same has been lying at Guwahati airport.
Perturbed with the present state of affairs, the court gave athe final opportunity to the AAI to come up with a timeframe to complete the much-delayed project, since it could not assure the court that the project could be completed within a short time.
Sources said the AAI, through its counsel, had conveyed to the court that it would need at least another two years time to complete the project.
However Dissatisfied with AAI’s reply, the court said that there was an urgency to complete the project as the airport should see the light of the day within no time, considering the fact that it has been pending for many decades since 1960.
The court said that it would not hesitate to ask some other competent agencies, most probably the army, to replace the AAI for undertaking the expansion of Umroi airport and complete the project within a short time infor the interest of the state of Meghalaya.
Sources said during the hearing, the court has also enquired from the defence authority, through its counsel, how long it might take to complete the project if in the event of the AAI failed to set an appropriate time that would satisfy the court to complete the project.
