West Bengal to push for new airports at Malda, Coochbehar

The West Bengal government will, under the new Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) announced by the Union aviation ministry, seek to develop two new airports, at Malda and Coochbehar. These will be under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

“We will soon be letting the Centre know about our intention. Land acquisition will not be a problem," transport minister Suvendu Adhikari told this newspaper. A clause in the RCS document requires a state to provide land free of cost and free from all encumbrances, beside ensuring multi-modal hinterland connectivity. Which the state is confident of ensuring.

If Bengal gets the Centre’s nod to proceed, Viability Gap Funding (VGF) will be shared between the central ministry and state government in a 80:20 ratio.

Andal airport in the vicinity of Durgapur, said Adhikari, would not come under RCS, as it “has already been built and is operational”. Explaining: "The RCS scheme is for airports which do not have scheduled operations. Andal already has a flight schedule , though it has been impacted temporarily.”

Centrally-owned Air India was the only one to ply to Andal but it recently pulled out, citing “operational issues”.

“The present problem of the airport remaining non-operational is because of the Union ministry’s decision. The state has remained firm on the previous commitments made,” said Adhikari.

The Civil Aviation Policy announced last week mentions that the revival of airstrips and airports are to be “demand driven”, depending on firm demand from airline operators. The indicative costs of a no-frills airport will be Rs 50-100 crore, which the ministry is prepared to spend on, without insisting on financial viability.

Andal problems

Recently, Bengal Aetropolis Projects (BAPL), the Andal airport developer, gave a report to the state government on the problems it faces. The state has provided 100 per cent local tax exemption till 2021 for airlines which refuel at Andal. Air turbine fuel is the single largest component of the operational cost of an airline, close to 40 per cent. The chief minister had also offered a 25 per cent concession on the base fare of Air India tickets in four passenger categories.

According to Partha Ghosh, managing director of BAPL, together with the state government, they had brought Air India on board after detailed negotiations over VGF. A source said the state had again taken up the matter with the aviation ministry, to get air traffic back to Andal. Accordingly, said the source, the Centre might ask Air India to resume flights on the Kolkata-Andal-Delhi route for an airfare of Rs 2,500 a passenger, in a month. The flight schedules could see some changes.

Officials in Air India said they hadn't heard anything from the aviation ministry.

FLAPPING WINGS

• West Bengal government, under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), will seek to develop two new airports – in Malda and Coochbehar – under a public private partnership (PPP) model
   
• But, Andal airport near Durgapur may be left out of RCS as it is “already operational”