Group to seek better Bagdogra Airport

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, 8 Janury 2018, Bagdogra: At a time when Bagdogra Airport Director Rakesh Sahay has been saying that the problems plaguing the aiiport will he solved if stakeholders work together, a group of individuals in Siliguri, including some tour operators, plan to serve a memorandum to the Civil Aviation department, demanding development of the aerodrome.

Interestingly, the tour operators here have filed news clips of serial reports on the Airport published by The Statesman since 12 December last year, which will be attached with their memorandum to the civil aviation department.

" We have collected some recent serial reports on the Bagdogra Airport published by The Statesman, send them to the civic aviation department with an appeal to develop the airport, senior tour operator Samrat Sanyal said.

"Where is Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia? Only Mr Ahluwalia, being a union minister, can take up initiatives to bring in development at the Bagdogra Airport. He has perhaps forgotten the way to Darjeeling via Bagdogra following the unrest in the Hills," Mr Sahay added.

It may be noted that Mr Ahluwalia is the ex-officio chairperson of the Bagdogra Airport Development Advisory Committee. However, the committee is defunct since many days due to unknown reasons, and this at a time when people from various corners have been complaining about parking, collection of Mega paragliding fees and other issues, including congestion in security hold areas, at the airport.

l Considering the potential of the airport, which is now serving 300 percent more passengers than its original capacity, it needs a new terminal building and infrastructure to facilitate more than 3000 passengers, who board 22-23 flights on an average every day.

Installation of the ILS (instrumental Landing System), the implementation of the proposed expansion project, and acquisition of additional land measuring more than 70 acres for the project is imperative to bring in overall development at the airport. The plan includes a parking area for at least 25 aircraft in its operational areas in the coming two decades so that it can serve seven million people per annum from North Bengal, Sikkim and a part of Bihar, and Assam and even a part of Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, who fly from here.

Notably, north Bengal development department minister Rabindranath Ghosh has also planned to send a proposal for an air service to Bangladesh via Bagdogra.

Asked to comment,Airport director Mr Sahay said: "We can solve many of the present problems if the stakeholders extend cooperation and work together."

"Stories published in The Statesman are incisive. The CISF story hit the nail on the head. come March, we may start having solutions," he added,