2nd Kolkata airport plan stuck, state not giving land: Scindia

The Union Minister said that the Centre was waiting for important clearances from the state government and appealed to the Chief Minister to extend a helping hand to expedite the project.

Addressing media persons at the Indian Council For Cultural Relations (ICCR) office in Kolkata, Scindia said, “In any country, civil aviation has become the root of development. We have big plans for the civil aviation industry in West Bengal. But I want to say on record that we want to set up a new airport in Kolkata. The existing airport in the city is running at maximum capacity. For so many years, we have been sending proposals to the state government for a new site (to set up a new airport). But the state government so far has not taken any concrete step in this regard. How will the Airports Authority of India (AAI) set up an airport if land is not given?”

“We absolutely feel that a new airport must be set up in Kolkata which should be of 2 lakh square metre. The existing airport has the capacity to handle 8,600 peak passenger traffic per day. We feel that the new airport terminal should have the capacity to handle 10,000 to 11,000 peak passenger traffic per day. But it will only be possible when the state government will cooperate with us and work together. Be it Bagdogra Airport or any other project at Hasimara Air Force Station or Kalaikunda Air Force Station, we get no response from the state government for any kind of clearance. I would appeal to the chief minister of the state to extend her helping hand to implement these development projects,” said Scindia.

Taking a dig at Banerjee, the Union minister said, “…As far as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is concerned, who has called this a ‘zero budget’, I have already said that investment worth more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore has been provided to the state for next three years. Now, she must count how many zeros there are in that amount.”