Bengal to pitch setting up of flying institute in Purulia at BGBS

kolkata: The Bengal government has decided to set up a flying training institute at Chharra in Purulia district.

The state government has urged private partners to invest in setting up of the institute.

The proposal will be put up in the upcoming Bengal Business Summit (BGBS) amongst a host of investors. The event is scheduled to start from April 20.

Senior officials of the state government said around 600 acres of land has been identified at Chharra in Purulia.

Earlier, an airforce camp was set up in the area. Once, there was a runway at that area. Although the land has been taken by the state government, around 310 acres is still lying vacant. Around 25 acres of land will be used to set up the training institute.

A senior official of the state government said: "State government is going to urge the private investors if they are ready to invest in constructing the runway for the flying training institute. Plans are there to set up a student hostel at Chharrah in Purulia." With the increase in passenger traffic in the airport, it is important to set up a second airport.

As a result airport authorities have already identified land at Bhangor in South 24-Parganas, where the second airport will be constructed.

Apart from this, under the Union government's Regional Connectivity Scheme, Balurghat and Cooch Behar have already been selected to fly small aircrafts.

Under the Viability Gap funding the Union government will provide subsidies to run these aircrafts operating from this airport, if they face any loss.Recently, the work for modernisation of Bagdogra airport has been taken up by the Airport Authority of India(AAI).