Baljek Airport

Baljek Airport
IATA: none ICAO: VETU
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Government of Meghalaya
Serves	Tura, Meghalaya, India
Location	Baljek
Elevation AMSL	536 m / 1,760 ft
Coordinates	25°39′41″N 90°20′42″E
Map
VETU Location of the airport in Meghalaya Show map of Meghalaya VETU VETU (India) Show map of India
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 16/34 1,006 3,300

Baljek Airport (ICAO: VETU) (also known as Tura Airport) is a public airport located at Baljek, 33 km (21 mi) North-east of Tura in Meghalaya, India.

The proposal for the airport was sent to the Central Government in 1983 and the project was sanctioned in 1995. The airport was inaugurated in October 2008.^[1] It was built at a cost of Rs 12.52 crore and was initially designed to handle 20 seater aircraft like the Dornier 228.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is developing the airport for operation of ATR 42/ATR 72 type of aircraft.^[2] The 3,300 foot runway will be extended by another 1,200 feet.^[3] A total of 58 acres of additional land was acquired at a cost of Rs 2.58 crore to aid the expansion of the airport.^[4]

No scheduled commercial air service are available at the Baljek Airport at this time. The nearest airport is Guwahati Airport which is approx. 180 KM from Tura and it is said to be operating by the end of 2022.^[5]

References

1. "President opens Baljek Airport- Thousands turn up for maiden touchdown". The Telegraph. 28 October 2008. Archived from the original on 13 January 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
2. "Better Air Connectivity for NE Region". Press Information Bureau. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
3. "AAI plans to invest Rs 200 cr on airports in Meghalaya". Webindia123. 1 July 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
4. "Land acquired for Baljek Airport project". The Assam Tribune. 20 December 2013. Archived from the original on 14 January 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
5. "Baljek Airport to be made operational by 2022, says CM". The Shillong Times. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2022.