The potential for a civil enclave at Air Force Station Kalaikunda in West Midnapore district, West Bengal, has been rekindled after a change in the state government. Efforts by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) over the past decade have faced challenges related to land acquisition and infrastructure development, such as road connectivity to the nearest highway.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has shown interest in sharing its infrastructure with civilian flights to facilitate cost-sharing. A retired IAF officer was previously designated to coordinate with the state government on this initiative. Establishing a civilian airport at Kalaikunda is deemed significant due to its proximity to the industrial center of Kharagpur, located approximately 11 km away.
Kharagpur’s strategic location near the Odisha border and key towns in the neighboring state with substantial business activities adds to the importance of a civil enclave in the area. Officials anticipate that operating a civil enclave under the Government of India’s UDAN scheme would attract a considerable volume of passenger traffic.
BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya had highlighted this matter in Parliament about a year ago. According to Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, the responsibility for providing land for airport projects lies with the state government under the National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016. The AAI has requested 38.25 acres of land from the West Bengal government for the new civil enclave at Air Force Station Kalaikunda.
Once the necessary land is allocated and clearances are secured, work on the civil enclave can commence, as stated by the minister. Additionally, a similar civil enclave proposal exists for Air Force Station Hasimara in north Bengal, near the Bhutan border. Officials believe that establishing a civil enclave there could enhance tourism to Bhutan and the surrounding forest and tea garden regions.
