KOLKATA/PURULIA: The ministry of defence is ready to allow the ministry of civil aviation to use some of its unused airstrips in West Bengal, according to sources. The decision has been taken keeping in mind the need for more such facilities in the eastern part of the country, with China building infrastructure on the other side of the border. It has been learnt that the state government has already taken up the matter with the aviation ministry.
"We shall be interested if any readymade facilities are available. The airport at Cooch Behar was not built by us. It belongs to the ministry of civil aviation. I am also keen to open the airport at Behala. We have never said that we shall build all airports by ourselves. We shall explore all options," said state industries minister Partha Chatterjee.
However, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has directed Purulia district magistrate Abanindra Singh to prepare a detail report for setting up an airport at Charra. The Left government had announced the Rs1480-crore Charra Aerotropolis Project four years back.
According to officials, there are over 10 unused military airfields across the state that can be revamped with minimum effort. Nearly all of these were built by British and American forces during the Burma campaign. The land still belongs to the ministry of defence but there is little or no activity at most locations.
"The MoD has already made it known that it is not averse to a new terminal coming up at Kalaikunda and civilian flights using the runway. The same holds true for the air base at Panagarh that is being upgraded. The IAF plans to station frontline Su-30 MKI aircraft at Panagarh at a future date. The airfield can also be used for civilian flights and would serve Durgapur. There is also a facility at Rampurhat that is not being used. This could serve the Bolpur sector," an official said.
The IAF doesn't have plans to station its aircraft at all such airfields but is eager to keep them operational for use during emergencies. The Coast Guard is also keen to have an airfield at Haldia from where it can operate dorniers and helicopters for Search and Rescue (SAR) operations and maritime surveillance. The same airfield can be used by civilian flights.
"While the IAF has gone in for major upgradation of facilities in the eastern and northeastern sector, it doesn't make much financial sense to keep all airstrips operational. It takes crores for the upkeep of an airfield and the MoD would be all too pleased if the costs are shared by the ministry of civil aviation. For bases like Kalaikunda and Panagarh, the initial investment has already been made by the MoD. If civilian aircraft use these bases, the operational costs would get shared. At places like Rampurhat, the state and Centre can pitch in with support from the initial stage itself and the MoD can pay its share of operational costs," the official said.
According to another official, the MoD would also support the idea of airstrips in north Bengal like Raigunj which are close to the international border with Bangladesh.
Purulia:- During her meeting with state level and district top officials on Friday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has directed the Purulia district magistrate, Abanindra Singh to prepare a detail report for setting up an airport at Charra to transport secretary.
Incidentally about four years ago, the then left front government has announced the Rs.1480 crores Charra Aerotropolis Project, about 8 kilometers away from Purulia town, but till date the project has not seen light of the day. The then transport Minister, late Subhas Chakraborty, after inspecting the site on 2008 announced that the proposed Aerotropolis project will be developed on public private partnership model between Srei Infrastructure Finance, central and state government on 74:13:13 equity basis.
Chakraborty had said at that time that the first phase of work that is the knowledge city, which has been named as 'Centre for Excellence' by the then Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya having medical college, university, hospital, aviation academy, hotel, shopping mall, sports academy, IT hub, Town Hall, Museum, multiplexes, theme parks, ATMs etc will start from December 2008. The entire project will be based on Built Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis for the next 50 years, he said at that time. The Charra Airfield land, which has lying closed since the past 67 years after world War 2 was a defense land but later the ministry of defense has handed over the 603.45 acres of land to the state government. The postwar history of the airfield is unclear, however today it is long abandoned. No structures remain, however traces of runways and taxiways can be viewed from the air. Some small villages appear to have taken over the former billeting areas.
"The Charra Airport will be the dream project of Mamata Banerjee and if this project kicks off the socio economic scenario of Purulia will have a huge facelift," said local minister Shantiram Mahato.
Source : Air Force to allow unused airstrips for civil flight operations - The Times of India
