The Shillong Airport in Umroi was constructed in the mid-1960s and became operational in the mid-1970s. The airport was expanded for the first time in 2011 by acquiring 224.16 acres of land from the residents of some villages in Ri Bhoi district.
The new terminal, built at a cost of Rs 30 crore, was inaugurated in June 2011. In 2013, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was allotted land to further expand the runway from 6,000 feet to about 8,000 feet. In April that year, land owners alleged that they had not received compensation for their land acquired in 2011 and stalled the construction of the boundary wall while setting a deadline of monthend for the payment of compensation. At the time, the AAI had supposedly released compensation funds, but the payment was allegedly delayed by the state government. Inevitably, the expansion work also got delayed.
In January 2015, Alliance Air stopped services from Shillong Airport because the North Eastern Council (NEC) had failed to pay pending dues. This rendered the airport nonfunctional. However, the NEC invited proposals twice and attracted seven bidders the second time around.
In October 2015, the AAI took possession of land belonging to 200 people in Umroi, which led to unrest. The Meghalaya High Court directed the deputy commissioner to invoke the urgency clause under Section 40 of the LARR Act, 2013, essentially ruling against the local people.
In May 2016, the state government allegedly demolished at least 15 houses in two villages in Umroi Pyllun and Nongsder to acquire land for the runway expansion without giving prior notice to the occupants. The village heads filed two petitions against the land acquisition, forceful eviction of residents and destruction of property, following which the Supreme Court stayed the October 2015 Meghalaya High Court order.
Subsequently, a legal notice was served to the deputy commissioner of Ri Bhoi district. In September 2018, the state government signed a memorandum of understanding with Dhar Construction Company and estimated completion of the project by March 2020. Surprisingly, at a public hearing in the district in January 2019, the residents whose houses were demolished said they had no objection to the proposed expansion of the airport but demanded safe and better roads, a hospital and employment. Shillong Airport is now operational.
In March 2024, the Meghalaya's Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh announced the state government's intention to extend and upgrade the airport to accommodate larger aircraft and increase connectivity. On a PIL was filed against the project, the Meghalaya High Court directed the AAI and Meghalaya government to complete the inspection for the extension.
In September 2024, the Meghalaya cabinet approved the proposal to expand the Umroi airport after the Chief Minister said that the survey and the technical report done along with the AAI stated the project was feasible.
In April 2025, the AAI floated a tender worth Rs 119.44 crore for the long-awaited expansion of the Shillong Airport. The expansion includes a 571-metre extension of the existing runway to a total length of 2,400 metres. However, the delay in land acquisition for the additional 22 acres required for the project forced the Meghalaya High Court to step in. In May 2025, the court directed the state government to complete handing over of land to AAI within a period of two months.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for promised compensation
Complaint against procedural violations
Demand for rehabilitation
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common and Private
Forest and Non-Forest, Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project completed
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Residential area
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
186
Type of investment:
Cost of Project
Year of Estimation
2011
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Land Acquisition Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Delay in compensation
Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act
Violation of free prior informed consent
Forced evictions/dispossession of land
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Pending
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
High Court of Meghalaya, Supreme Court
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Displacement
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Ten houses in Pyllun village and five houses in Nongsder village were allegedly demolished without serving prior notices, displacing families.
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Umroi
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Government of Meghalaya (MUA-II), Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, Ri Bhoi District Authority, Airports Authority of India
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Dhar Construction Company
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Dorbar of Nongsder and Pyllun Village
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
