Damaged runway: Second time in a week, operations hit at Bagdogra Airport

DARJEELING: For the second time within a week, most of the flights to and fro from Bagdogra Airport were cancelled on Tuesday owing to the damaged runway.

"Around 11:50 am on Tuesday, I received a call stating that the runway has some problems. Since noon, flights were cancelled. There were 28 flights in total. 7 flights had taken off and 5 had landed. Two are waiting and will take off only after the runway problem is resolved. Remaining flights have been cancelled," stated Subramaniam P, Director, Bagdogra.

On March 15, flights had been cancelled for more than 7 hours owing to the runway being damaged. When questioned on the nature of damage on the runway, the Director stated that as the runway was under the Indian Air Force, he would not be able to comment on the nature of the problem. "The Border Roads Organisation is in charge of the repairs at the runaway and they will definitely do a good job," added the director.

The disruption of air services at regular intervals at Bagdogra has drawn flak, especially from the travel and tour industries. "We have suffered the worst in this pandemic and are now trying to revive. However, we are facing problems with the disruption of Air traffic movement. We will take up the matter with both the Union and state governments," stated Samrat Sanyal, General Secretary, Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network.