D M calls meeting on airport revival

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Sept 4: The Malda district magistrate, Mr CR Das, has convened an all-party meeting on 15 and 16 September to chalk out strategy for the revival of the Malda airport.According to sources, the DM would seek suggestions from the political leaders on how to deal with the high-rise buildings and mobile towers on the eastern side of the existing airport.These high-rise buildings and the mobile towers in the flying zone of the aircraft have made things difficult for the revival of the airport.The issue of land acquisition on the western side of the airport would also come up for discussion during the all-party meeting.Meanwhile, the Malda AAI authorities have objected to construction of tower line for electricity distribution and lodged a complaint with the administration against the electricity department. The Malda district administration officials are also looking into the matter and have decided to start dialogue with the officials of the electricity department.The Malda AAI authorities today completed survey work identifying obstructions in the flying zone for landing of aircrafts. The AAI officials have identified five buildings, including two hotels and two residential complexes, on the Station Road and National Highway 34 on the eastern side of the airstrip. Before the all-party meeting, the AAI authorities would submit the list of the obstructions to the administration.If the sources are to be believed, the state government would press the AAI authorities to work for the revival of the Malda airport after the inauguration of the Cooch Behar airport. Currently, the AAI is constructing boundary wall on its existing land. No funds has so far been sanctioned for land acquisition and construction of runway. The AAI had proposed the state government to allot sufficient land to it free of cost. The district administration had conducted a survey and informed the state government that 40 acres of land are available on the western side of the airport, which is required for landing of small aircrafts like ATR-42.