Kolkata: The West Bengal government has decided to develop an abandoned airstrip in Purulia’s Chharra into an airport.
The airstrip has remained abandoned for more than 80 years. The new airport will be developed as a small airport in two phases at a cost of Rs 150 crore.
The first phase will include the construction of a boundary wall, an 1100-meter-long runway, four parking bays for aircraft, an Air Traffic Control (ATC) building, and a terminal building with the capacity to handle around 160 passengers per day. It will also include a fire station, an electrical substation, three watchtowers, an underground reservoir, and a cooling pit.
In the first phase, infrastructure is being prepared for a 19-seater aircraft. Operators will get a subsidy if they run flights on short routes under the Central Government’s aviation scheme.
In the second phase, the runway length will be increased to 1700 meters. Thereafter, a 42-seater ATR aircraft can operate from the airport.
Once the Charra airport is launched, it will benefit both tourism and industrial relations with Jharkhand. It will also increase employment opportunities.
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