Which Is India's Smallest Airport And Why Is It Still Grounded?

When you think of an airport, you probably imagine long runways, packed terminals and planes taking off every few minutes.

But India's smallest airport is nothing like that.

Located in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills, Baljek Airport, also known as Tura Airport, is one of India's smallest airports. Located at Baljek, around 33 kilometres northeast of Tura, it was built to improve connectivity in the region. Today, it is better known for its unusual story than for air travel.

A Tiny Airport With A Big Dream

The idea of building the airport first came up in 1983. The project received government approval in 1995 and was finally inaugurated in October 2008 by former President Pratibha Patil. The airport was built at a cost of Rs 12.52 crore. It was designed for small aircraft, especially the 20-seater Dornier 228, making it ideal for short regional flights.

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Its runway is about 1.1 kilometres long and 30 metres wide, much shorter than those at most commercial airports. The airport was also planned as an STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) facility, allowing smaller aircraft to operate from shorter runways.
It was constructed with expectations of improving connectivity across the three districts of the Garo Hills. Apart from that, leaders also believed that it could help farmers and businesses transport Meghalaya's fresh horticultural produce to other parts of the country much faster.

For remote regions, even a small airport can make a huge difference.

The Only Flight Most People Remember

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

One of the most memorable moments in Baljek Airport's history happened on 23 October 2008.

Two aircraft, a four-seater Cessna and a nine-seater Dornier, landed here from Guwahati during the inauguration ceremony led by President Pratibha Patil.

That remains the last widely reported aircraft landing at the airport. Since then, the airport has never started regular commercial flight operations.

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The biggest hindrance for regular flights is the runway. Since the airport was built for small aircraft, its short runway limits the types of planes that can safely operate there. Plans were later made to extend the runway so that larger regional aircraft like the ATR 42 and ATR 72 could use the airport.

According to the reports, to support this expansion, the government acquired 58 more acres of land in 2014. Earlier, between 1986 and 1989, around 153 acres had already been acquired for the airport.

Even after these efforts, regular passenger flights have not started.

Instead of welcoming passengers, the airport has become a venue for large music events and public gatherings over the past couple of years.

On a positive note, the Meghalaya government is working with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to make the airport operational again.