Fate of Malda airstrip revival to be decided later this month

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 13: A team of Airport Authority of India will be coming here during the last week of November to finalise the fate of the proposed revival project of the Malda airstrip, a senior officer of the administration said today. On receiving the information the district magistrate Mr CR Das planned to convene a meeting with the concerned officials to sort out the problem of present hindrances of the airport in presence of the AAI officials.In a letter to the district magistrate recently the director of the AAI pointed out some technical problems to make a risk free flying zone of an aircraft in the Malda airport. "Mainly the director has pointed out problem of some towers of cell phone on the eastern side and high tension line of electricity on the western side of the present airport”, Mr. CR Das said.It may be noted that before puja a team of experts came to Malda and conducted a technical survey about obstruction on the eastern side due to high-rise buildings along the NH-34 and station road. The district magistrate said: “We will have to shorten the height of the buildings and existing towers on either side of the present airport land according to the direction of the AAI officials”.It may be noted that local residents had damaged the newly constructed boundary wall of the Malda airstrip demanding a passage which was blocked after construction due to lack of any alternative road for them. The district administration has instructed the local airport officials to maintain status quo in the interest of the local people. .