PM to lay foundation stone of first phase of Bagdogra airport new terminal project on Sunday

PRASHANT ACHARYA, EOI, SILIGURI, OCT 18, 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the first phase of the Bagdogra Airport New Terminal Project on Sunday, October 20. Modi will lay the foundation stone through video conferencing from New Delhi, while Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, higher officials from the Civil Aviation Ministry, and other dignitaries will be present in a grand function at Kawakhali ground near North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri.

Bista said that Bagdogra Airport serves as the sole commercial airport for North Bengal, catering to a vast population across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, North and South Dinajpur, and Malda. It also accommodates travelers from Sikkim, lower Assam, eastern Bihar, and neighboring countries like Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, making it the second busiest airport in West Bengal. For this, the development of Bagdogra Airport was crucial to ensuring the development of air connectivity in our region.

Over the past decade, passenger traffic surged from around 3,000 passengers daily with 20 flights to approximately 10,000 passengers and nearly 60 flights operating on a daily basis, yet the airport facilities had remained stagnant. The first phase will feature a new terminal spanning 70,390 sqm, with plans for an additional 50,000 sqm in future phases. It will accommodate 3,000 peak-hour passengers and an annual capacity of over 10 million passengers. The terminal will include 10 parking bays for A321 aircraft, two link taxiways, and multi-level parking.

Bista also said that in alignment with sustainability goals, the terminal will be a ‘Green Building,’ utilizing renewable energy and maximizing natural light. "When finished, Bagdogra will be the first international airport in our region, positioning it as a hub for travel, tourism, and trade. This momentous occasion will mark the transformation of our Siliguri, Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars region to a world-class destination for investments in travel, tourism, tea, health care, education, and beyond.