Locals damage boundary wall

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Oct. 2: Demanding passage, locals damaged the newly constructed boundary wall of Malda airport today. People from CPI-M dominated Ward No 23 and 24 flattened the boundary wall in a bid to press the district administration to construct an alternative road for their easy communication. The Malda airport had no boundary wall and the people living in the extended areas under the English Bazaar Municipality had been using the field of the airport as their road to reach English Bazaar town. When the AAI started the construction of boundary wall to prevent its land from encroachment, the locals demanded an alternative road so that they can reach English Bazaar town without any problem. The civil administration officials visited the spot today with police. To bring the situation under control, the Malda SDO, Ms Arunima De, asked the local AAI authorities to stop the construction work till the settlement of the dispute. The SDO, political leaders, civic and airport officials had visited the spot recently to find out an alternative road. The then civic body chief had proposed a road along the railway track connecting Rathbari railway gate with a proposal of a subway to avoid a level crossing. The proposal, however, is yet to be implemented. The district administration officials would call a meeting to sort out the problem following the locals' demand. The proposed revival of the Malda airport is facing various problems. High-rise buildings on the eastern side of the airport and high-tension power lines on the western side are obstructing the project.