Bagdogra Airport to soon function 24-hours a day, says Manohar Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday said the Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri would soon function for 24-hours a day.

The Defence Ministry has no objection to the Bagdogra Airport functioning for 24-hours a day, Parrikar told reporters in Jalpaiguri when asked whether the Defence Ministry would give permission to night landing of flights at the airport.

At present, flights are not allowed to take off and land in the Bagdogra Airport at night.

The civilian side of the Bagdogra Airport is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) but the airport is under the control of Defence Ministry.

Earlier in the day, the Defence minister inaugurated the Ramkrishna Shiksha Parishad (RKSP) Model School building at Darjeeling and also visited the famous Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.

Darjeeling MP and Union Minister of State for Agriculture S S Ahluwalia was present during the inauguration the school building.