Shillong, Aug 15: The Joint Movement Committee for Corridor from Blaurghat-Hili – Mahendraganj-Tura (Meghalaya) through Bangladesh (JACCBHMT) has urged the Centre to connect Baljek airport in Tura with Kolkata via Balurghat, West Bengal in the greater interest of tourism and economic development of the North East region and Balurghat-Hili in West Bengal.

In a letter to Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia recently, JAC convener Naba Kumar Das said, “Most of all places in the North Eastern Region are inaccessible and located in far-flung areas. The road and rail infrastructures are inadequate; therefore, air connectivity is the most viable means of transportation and easy communication between the wide region and the mainland of India and it will surely develop intra-state and inter-state communication of the entire region with the mainland.”

“The air connectivity between the two regions for which we lay this prayer before you for your kind consideration basically aims at improving communication and transportation as well as economic development of the entire region which is still earmarked as a backward region in India,” he added.

Das further asserted that the air connectivity will be a relief for the people of Meghalaya (Tura, Mahendraganj) from the hazards of present 3 days journey to Kolkata while journey by air from Tura to Kolkata via Balurghat is simply a matter of time not exceeding one and a half hours.

Stating that a sizable number of patients are regularly brought to Kolkata for better and expert treatment, he however said that the present communication system between the north-east region and the rest part of India is an additional hazard for patients.

“It is experienced that many patients often die on the way to Kolkata because of time and the hazard of journey. We urge you and your ministry to kindly to take a quick and practical decision on the basis of the recommendation of the Rohit Nandan Committee so that the process of the implementation of air connectivity between Tura and Kolkata via Balurghat is immediately initiated,” Das said.

According to him, the Baljek airport has had no services ever since it was constructed though it has all facilities except helicopter services operating occasionally between Tura and Shillong.

The proposal for the airport was sent to the Central Government in 1983 and sanctioned in 1995. The airport was inaugurated in October 2008. It was built at a cost of Rs 12.52 crore and was initially designed to handle 20-seater aircraft like the Dornier Do 228.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is developing the airport for operation of ATR 42/ATR 72 type of aircraft. The 3,300 foot runway will be extended by another 1,200 feet. A total of 58 acres of additional land was acquired at a cost of Rs 2.58 crore to aid the expansion of the airport.

There are two airports namely (a) Balurghat (b) Tura and those airports have no services ever since long. The helicopter services run occasionally between Balurghat-Kolkata and Tura-Shillong. The air service between Tura via Balurghat to Kolkata is an alternative link between North-East and the rest of India within the maximum duration of one and a half hours.

Meanwhile, the JAC has also sought the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari for immediate construction of a two-lane road from Hili to Mahendraganj through Bangladesh.

The length of the road is approximately 65 km and the bridge about 15 km.

“We request you earnestly to be pleased to adopt all necessary steps to start required construction processes of the Trans country road of international importance. The Committee will continue to provide all possible support to our government in the smooth and rapid implementation and completion of the said road connectivity project in our national interest and benefit,” Das stated in the letter.

Also read: 29th Inter School and 11th Inter College Karate Tournament 2023 to begin on Aug 17

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