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Centre keen to convert Behala Flying Club into an airport
Joy Roy Choudhury - Kolkata
The Centre is keen on developing the Behala Flying Training Institute (BFTI)
or Behala Flying Club (BFC), as it is popularly known on the outer limits of
Kolkata into a full-fledged commercial airport to facilitate movement of small
aircrafts. This move will ease the pressure on the city's 'over-burdened' Netaji
Subhas International Airport.
Praful Patel, Union Civil Aviation Minister said this in Kolkata after laying
the foundation stone for the upgradation of the BFC, which was idle and non-operational
for more than two decades. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has already
allocated Rs 10 crore for upgrading the BFC runway, installing ground lights
and setting up a boundary wall.
Patel said, "Such small airports are essential for easy movement of air-traffic.
But to convert BFC into a full-fledged commercial airport, we need an additional
30 acres of land. The land is required to extend the runway." He added,
"We do not need money. All we need from the state government is water,
electricity and land to modernise the airport. An additional investment of Rs
50 crore would be required." This amount will be used to set up a passenger
terminal building, an air-traffic control tower and other amenities.
Presently, BFC is spread over 210 acres with a runaway of 3,500 feet long. To
make it suitable for movement of commercial flights, the runway has to be expanded
to 4,500 feet. The AAI would require an additional 30-40 acres to widen the
runway.
"Once the runway extension is complete, small commercial aircraft like
ATR can operate from Behala," the minister pointed out.
Patel also added that the existing 'non-operational' airport at Cooch Behar
is being revamped thoroughly and commercial operations will start shortly. In
a related development, an agreement was also signed between BFC and Camelia
Group, which has taken it over to train pilots at its aviation institute.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the West Bengal chief minister who was also present
on the occasion said the state would make all efforts to provide land for converting
BFC into a commercial airport.
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