States » EastPosted at: Oct 5 2026 6:26PM


West Bengal signs MoU to connect 4 airstrips under UDAN 2.0, new airport proposed at Kalyani

Kolkata, Oct 5 (UNI) In a major push to expand regional and international air connectivity in West Bengal, the state government on Monday signed an MoU under the Centre’s UDAN 2.0 scheme to connect Chharra in Purulia, Balurghat in South Dinajpur, Hashimara in Alipurduar and Kalaikunda in West Midnapore.
At a programme held at Nabanna in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari also announced plans to develop a new international greenfield airport on around 2,000 acres at Kalyani in Nadia, on the lines of the airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida. The proposed airport is aimed at easing the growing pressure on Kolkata’s Dum Dum airport.
Adhikari said the state was now moving rapidly to expand its aviation infrastructure after overcoming what he described as years of administrative reluctance and land-related complications under the erstwhile Trinamool Congress government.
Presenting a roadmap for expanding West Bengal’s international and regional air connectivity, the Chief Minister urged the Centre to introduce direct flights from Kolkata to Britain and major European cities. He handed over a memorandum to Naidu seeking the expansion of international services from the state.
Adhikari also proposed strengthening Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport at Andal in West Burdwan and improving its connectivity with major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Guwahati.
Seeking to cater to the state’s religious tourism potential, he urged the union minister to facilitate direct and regional air services to major pilgrimage destinations, including Ayodhya, Tirupati, Khatu Shyam in Rajasthan and Amritsar.
The Chief Minister said improved air connectivity would benefit not only passengers but also farmers and MSMEs. Better air links, he said, could facilitate faster transportation of mangoes and horticultural products from north Bengal, helping farmers and small businesses access wider markets.
Criticising the previous government over what he termed its “anti-development mindset”, Adhikari cited delays in providing land for aviation projects. “Former civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had written seeking adequate land for a second airport near Kolkata. But the then state government rejected the proposal immediately,” he said.
He alleged that despite the availability of defence clearances, the UDAN initiative had remained stalled because the state had failed to provide 37 acres at Kalaikunda and 25 acres at Hashimara.
Adhikari further claimed that the new NDA government had, within 150 days of assuming office, cleared pending NoCs for 500 road overbridges and foot overbridges, revived 61 stalled railway projects and transferred 90 per cent of the required land ownership to the BSF for border security-related works.
On the proposed Kalyani airport, the Chief Minister said soil testing and preliminary land-related work were progressing rapidly under the supervision of the Chief Secretary and the Land Secretary.
He also urged the Centre to develop the airports at Malda and Cooch Behar into full-fledged facilities.
Referring to his visit to Behala airport, Adhikari expressed hope that the Civil Aviation Ministry would soon approve a modern Flying Training Institute there. Such an institute, he said, would help train talented young people from the state as world-class pilots and create new employment opportunities in the aviation sector.
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Tags: #West Bengal signs MoU to connect 4 airstrips under UDAN 2.0# new airport proposed at Kalyani
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