The Centre is assessing the viability of developing four new airports in West Bengal by reviving the airstrips at Balurghat and Purulia and setting up commercial aviation facilities at the IAF bases in Kalaikunda and Hasimara, officials said.
“The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is preparing a detailed project report for the four airports and will assess whether airline services there are feasible,” officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.
Officials could not confirm whether the airports would be developed under the UDAN scheme, saying the plan was still at an early stage. The Centre’s UDAN regional connectivity scheme (RCS) subsidises airlines that serve tier-2 and tier-3 cities and caps fares to keep tickets affordable.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha in August 2026 that there were plans to use the Kalaikunda and Hasimara IAF bases for commercial flights, but “the requisite land has not been handed over by the State Government.” With the BJP defeating the TMC in the 2026 Assembly election and forming government in West Bengal, officials say it will now be easier to clear those hurdles.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had asked the West Bengal government to provide 38.25 acres of land at Kalaikunda and 38 acres at Hasimara for civil enclaves at the two Air Force stations.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation signed MoUs with 21 States and Union Territories on Tuesday, urging them to take the lead under the scheme and propose new RCS airports. Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu said the move would help create 100 more airports over the next 10 years.
The Union Cabinet in March 2026 approved “Modified UDAN” scheme for another 10 years with a total outlay of ₹28,840 crore.
Published – September 22, 2026 08:23 pm IST
