Civil aviation minister, BA

As part of the Centre’s plan to restore the glory of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and transform it into a hub for international flights, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Saturday announced that flights to 100 destinations will soon operate daily from the airport. Inaugurating the airport’s centenary celebrations, he recalled that the city once had direct flights to London and Paris.

“Currently, there are flights heading to 15 international and 49 domestic destinations from Kolkata. We are determined to significantly increase flights in the near future. Our goal is to make it one of the busiest airports in the country, handling over daily flights to 100 cities in both sectors,” he said.

The minister said the number of aircraft using the airport daily has increased from 264 to 400, thanks to the Centre’s efforts and support from the state.

He added that there’s a plan to increase the annual passenger footfall at the airport from 2.6 crore to 4.5 crore.

“To achieve this, we plan to introduce a new terminal at the airport by November 2025,” he added.

“We aim to transform Kolkata airport into one of the largest, most advanced, and busiest airports in the country, with world-class infrastructure,” he said.

The minister, who was accompanied by MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, launched a commemorative coin and a coffee table book on the occasion. He also announced the introduction of a pocket-friendly ‘Udaan yatri cafe,’ which will be run on a trial basis, marking the first such initiative in the country.

TMC MP and chairman of the airport advisory committee, Sougata Roy, urged the ministers to introduce more international flights from the city and improve the infrastructure of other airports in the state, such as Andal, Coochbehar, and Bagdogra.

“We are committed to improving airport infrastructure in Bengal, which will drive economic growth and turn airports into hubs of economic activities and centers for job creation,” the minister said.

He also mentioned that the Centre is working to enhance the infrastructure at Bagdogra airport near Siliguri. “The Centre has allocated thousands of crores of rupees for upgrading the infrastructure of Bagdogra airport, primarily due to its strategic location near the ‘Chicken Neck’ in Siliguri,” he added.

The ‘Chicken Neck’ serves as the vital link between Siliguri, the commercial hub of north Bengal, and the northeastern states, making it crucial for both economic and security reasons.

Naidu, making his first visit to the ‘City of Joy,’ noted that Kolkata airport has been a silent witness to history, connecting the city with the rest of the country and the world.

Recalling that Kolkata airport witnessed India’s first-ever night landing in 1924, Naidu emphasized that the city has always been at the heart of India’s civil aviation history.

“Among all the airports that have been operational for over a century, Kolkata stands out as the most iconic,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the government’s achievement of increasing the number of airports in the country from 74 to 158 in the past decade, with plans to establish 50 more in the next five years.

In his speech, Mohol said the airport’s 17 MW solar plant makes it unique, harnessing non-conventional energy sources and significantly reducing carbon footprints.