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Bengal's Four New Airports: Purulia, Balurghat Among Sites; MOU Signed Today at Nabanna with Suvendu-Arjun
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News18•05-10-2026, 08:24
Bengal's Four New Airports: Purulia, Balurghat Among Sites; MOU Signed Today at Nabanna with Suvendu-Arjun
- •A significant step towards building new airports in West Bengal, an MoU will be signed today at Nabanna between the state government and the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation.
- •Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Transport Minister Arjun Singh, and others will attend the event.
- •Among the four airports under discussion, Chharra in Purulia and Balurghat Airport are particularly important.
- •Balurghat Airport's runway was built during World War II, and Vayudoot operated flights from there in the 1980s.
- •In Chharra, Purulia, two runways were built during World War II, serving as a base for the Air Force's 444th Bombardment Group.
Key Questions Answered
The four airports included in the project are Chharra in Purulia, Balurghat in South Dinajpur, Hasimara in Alipurduar, and Kalaikunda in Paschim Medinipur.
Balurghat Airport's runway was built during World War II, and it later hosted commercial flights and Vayudoot operations in the 1980s before closing down. The state spent about 12 crore rupees in 2018 on infrastructure development, though the facility remained non-operational.
Chharra featured two runways built during World War II and served as the base for the Air Force's 444th Bombardment Group, where B-24 fighter planes used to take off and land.
