Centre to Send Survey Team for Proposed Greenfield Airport at Kheroni, Karbi Anglong, Assam
A survey team is expected to visit Kheroni in Assam's Karbi Anglong district next month to advance the proposal for a greenfield airport, according to Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang. Ronghang raised the airport proposal during a meeting with Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu in Delhi, submitting a memorandum seeking early progress on the project, which was envisaged under Clause 5.1 of Annexure-II of the 2021 Memorandum of Settlement.
The KAAC had initially identified and allotted 1,070.95 hectares of land at Borlangpher for the proposed airport. However, after reviewing the funding mechanism, implementation requirements, and long-term viability of the project, Kheroni was subsequently proposed as an alternative site due to its strategic location. The Ministry of Civil Aviation had earlier advised that a pre-feasibility study be conducted for the Kheroni site, and the upcoming survey visit is intended to advance the project based on the ministry's recommendations.
According to Ronghang, an airport at Kheroni could serve Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts, along with neighbouring Dima Hasao, Hojai, and Nagaon districts. The project is expected to create opportunities for tourism, trade, investment, and employment while boosting overall economic activity in the region.
The Kheroni proposal forms part of a broader push for regional air connectivity in Assam, where the state government has separately signed an MoU with the Airports Authority of India for pre-feasibility studies on five other greenfield airport sites at Manas National Park, Umrangshu, Majuli, Diphu, and Charaideo, aimed at strengthening Assam's role as a gateway to Northeast and Southeast Asian markets.