Kolkata ATC to control additional 1.7 lakh sq km of airspace

10 Nov 2021 CW Team

Two continental airspaces, Guwahati and Varanasi, were yet to be integrated until January this year, out of the seven continental and one oceanic airspace in the Kolkata Flight Information Region (FIR). While the upper airspace of Guwahati was integrated with Kolkata in January at an altitude of over 25,000 ft, the upper airspace of Varanasi is now being integrated.

Due to technical and administrative issues, the integration of these two regions had been delayed. One of the multiple reasons for the delay, according to the media, is a manpower shortage at Kolkata ATC.

Following the integration of the sky, area controllers in Kolkata will oversee 250-300 overflights that pass through Varanasi's upper airspace, which stretches from Khajuraho to Lucknow and provide them with direct routing or straight flight paths to the Delhi FIR. This will result in not only a shorter flight time, but also a reduction in fuel consumption and a contribution to making the sky a little greener. Kolkata's upper airspace jurisdiction used to extend to Gaya, Ranchi, and Patna.

Pilots, too, do not need to change frequency when using direct routing. Both pilots and controllers will have less coordination work to do as a result. Because the entire sky is covered by radar, controllers can increase capacity by packing in more flights.

Controllers said that the move would also make the skies safer by removing the possibility of conflicting flight paths caused by coordination problems.

Controllers in Kolkata were responsible for 11.9 lakh sq km of airspace before the addition of the Varanasi upper airspace.

Controllers of Kolkata's air traffic region (ATR) will now be responsible for 15 international routes, 37 crossings, and 10 converging points, making it one of the most difficult ATRs in India.

Image Source

The Kolkata airport ATC has started managing Varanasi's upper airspace, integrating the final sector of the east and northeast upper airspace harmonisation project, which began more than six years ago in August 2015. Two continental airspaces, Guwahati and Varanasi, were yet to be integrated until January this year, out of the seven continental and one oceanic airspace in the Kolkata Flight Information Region (FIR). While the upper airspace of Guwahati was integrated with Kolkata in January at an altitude of over 25,000 ft, the upper airspace of Varanasi is now being integrated. Due to technical and administrative issues, the integration of these two regions had been delayed. One of the multiple reasons for the delay, according to the media, is a manpower shortage at Kolkata ATC. Following the integration of the sky, area controllers in Kolkata will oversee 250-300 overflights that pass through Varanasi's upper airspace, which stretches from Khajuraho to Lucknow and provide them with direct routing or straight flight paths to the Delhi FIR. This will result in not only a shorter flight time, but also a reduction in fuel consumption and a contribution to making the sky a little greener. Kolkata's upper airspace jurisdiction used to extend to Gaya, Ranchi, and Patna. Pilots, too, do not need to change frequency when using direct routing. Both pilots and controllers will have less coordination work to do as a result. Because the entire sky is covered by radar, controllers can increase capacity by packing in more flights. Controllers said that the move would also make the skies safer by removing the possibility of conflicting flight paths caused by coordination problems. Controllers in Kolkata were responsible for 11.9 lakh sq km of airspace before the addition of the Varanasi upper airspace. Controllers of Kolkata's air traffic region (ATR) will now be responsible for 15 international routes, 37 crossings, and 10 converging points, making it one of the most difficult ATRs in India. Image Source

Technology

28 Oct 2025

Building Faster, Smarter, and Greener!

Backed by ULCCS’s century-old legacy, U-Sphere combines technology, modular design and sustainable practices to deliver faster and more efficient projects. In an interaction with CW, Rohit Prabhakar, Director - Business Development, shares how the company’s integrated model of ‘Speed-Build’, ‘Smart-Build’ and ‘Sustain-Build’ is redefining construction efficiency, quality and environmental responsibility in India.U-Sphere positions itself at the intersection of speed, sustainability and smart design. How does this translate into measurable efficiency on the ground?At U..

Infrastructure Transport

28 Oct 2025

Smart Roads, Smarter India

India’s infrastructure boom is not only about laying more kilometres of highways – it’s about building them smarter, safer and more sustainably. From drones mapping fragile Himalayan slopes to 3D machine-controlled graders reducing human error, technology is steadily reshaping the way projects are planned and executed. Yet, the journey towards digitisation remains complex, demanding not just capital but also coordination, training and vision.Until recently, engineers largely depended on Survey of India toposheets and traditional survey methods like total stations or DGPS to prepare detai..

Infrastructure Urban

28 Oct 2025

Delay Analysis in Construction Arbitration

In construction disputes, ‘delay analysis’ is essential for establishing the cause of delay, which in turn determines whether the contractor is entitled to an extension of time and associated costs or whether the employer is justified in imposing liquidated damages. This article enunciates various methods employed in the analysis of construction delays. It provides a detailed overview of the techniques used to identify, quantify and apportion delays among project stakeholders that are critical for the resolution of disputes pertaining to extension of time (EOT) and substantiation of EOT cl..