Bagdogra Airport's expansion gets green light, approved by AAI

24 Jan 2024 CW Team

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has given approval for the financial bid related to the civil construction of the new terminal building and associated infrastructure at Bagdogra airport. This marks the completion of most formalities required for the construction process. Raju Bista, the Darjeeling MP, announced that the airport, being the busiest in the north Bengal region, will soon have the necessary infrastructure to handle both domestic and international passenger loads.

Last June, the Central government approved Rs 30 billion for the expansion of Bagdogra airport's infrastructure. Currently, with a terminal building of approximately 8,000 sqm and the capacity to handle 400 passengers per hour, the airport experiences congestion due to the increased number of flights and passengers. The new terminal building is planned to cover an area of 1 lakh sqm, with the first phase comprising around 50,000 sqm and the capacity to handle 3,800 passengers per hour. The entire first phase is expected to be completed in two-and-a-half years once construction commences.

Additionally, the expansion will include a multi-level car park and 10 aerobridges, with six aerobridges built in the initial phase. The apron will provide space to park 16 aircraft simultaneously. The airport's expansion is anticipated to attract more airline services, and there are expectations for flights to Dhaka and Kathmandu from Bagdogra.

Political observers note that, with the Lok Sabha polls approaching, the BJP is leveraging infrastructure development as a key element to garner votes in north Bengal. Over the past year, funds have been allocated for Bagdogra airport, the New Jalpaiguri station, and a four-lane highway connecting the northwest and northeast of Siliguri. District Trinamul leaders emphasise the state's contribution in supporting the airport expansion plans by providing over 100 acres of land to the AAI.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..