Raju Bista: Govt approves Rs 30 billion for Bagdogra airport expansion

21 Jun 2023 CW Team

Raju Bista, MP, Darjeeling, announced that the central government had approved a budget of Rs 30 billion for the expansion of Bagdogra airport, and the upgrade would commence soon.

Bista stated, "I recently had a one-on-one meeting with the chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). During the meeting, he informed me about the approval of Rs 30 billion funds by the Centre for the expansion of Bagdogra airport. Later, the AAI officially announced the approval of funds."

He was present in Siliguri to attend an event where the formal announcement of the upcoming Bengal Travel Mart (BTM) took place. The Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators Association (EHTTOA) will organise the seventh edition of this major event in eastern India to promote tourism from September 9 to 11.

The BJP MP emphasised that improving connectivity in north Bengal was a priority for the Narendra Modi government.

Several projects will be undertaken in the region, including the construction of a six-lane road along NH10 from Balason of Matigara to Sevoke army cantonment, connecting the northwest and northeast of Siliguri. An allocation of Rs 10 billion has been made for this project. Additionally, the New Jalpaiguri station will undergo renovations, for which Rs 3.5 billion has been sanctioned.

"The construction of the airport's boundary wall is currently underway. Some modifications have been made to its design, and other construction activities will commence soon," he added.

The initial plan by the Centre was to allocate Rs 15 billion for the expansion of Bagdogra airport, which handles over 8,000 passengers and approximately 60 flight movements daily.

Later, the budget was increased to Rs 18 billion, and now there has been another revision in the funding allocation.

Sandipan Ghosh, the general secretary of EHTTOA, provided further details about the upcoming travel mart.

"Ghosh explained, 'BTM is considered one of the country's largest domestic travel marts, successfully showcasing the entire Northeast. Officials from the Union tourism ministry, the state tourism department, and representatives from the Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents, Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh, and Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India will attend the event.'"

Also read:
UP explores RapidX Corridor for Delhi-Noida Airport connectivity
NIAL reports completion of 47% of work on Noida airport

Raju Bista, MP, Darjeeling, announced that the central government had approved a budget of Rs 30 billion for the expansion of Bagdogra airport, and the upgrade would commence soon. Bista stated, I recently had a one-on-one meeting with the chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). During the meeting, he informed me about the approval of Rs 30 billion funds by the Centre for the expansion of Bagdogra airport. Later, the AAI officially announced the approval of funds. He was present in Siliguri to attend an event where the formal announcement of the upcoming Bengal Travel Mart (BTM) took place. The Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators Association (EHTTOA) will organise the seventh edition of this major event in eastern India to promote tourism from September 9 to 11. The BJP MP emphasised that improving connectivity in north Bengal was a priority for the Narendra Modi government. Several projects will be undertaken in the region, including the construction of a six-lane road along NH10 from Balason of Matigara to Sevoke army cantonment, connecting the northwest and northeast of Siliguri. An allocation of Rs 10 billion has been made for this project. Additionally, the New Jalpaiguri station will undergo renovations, for which Rs 3.5 billion has been sanctioned. The construction of the airport's boundary wall is currently underway. Some modifications have been made to its design, and other construction activities will commence soon, he added. The initial plan by the Centre was to allocate Rs 15 billion for the expansion of Bagdogra airport, which handles over 8,000 passengers and approximately 60 flight movements daily. Later, the budget was increased to Rs 18 billion, and now there has been another revision in the funding allocation. Sandipan Ghosh, the general secretary of EHTTOA, provided further details about the upcoming travel mart. Ghosh explained, 'BTM is considered one of the country's largest domestic travel marts, successfully showcasing the entire Northeast. Officials from the Union tourism ministry, the state tourism department, and representatives from the Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents, Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh, and Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India will attend the event.' Also read: UP explores RapidX Corridor for Delhi-Noida Airport connectivityNIAL reports completion of 47% of work on Noida airport

Infrastructure Transport

15 Sep 2025

Cabinet Approves Key Highway and Rail Projects in Bihar Region

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the four-laning of the 84.2-km Mokama-Munger section of the Buxar-Bhagalpur high-speed corridor, a key industrial region in poll-bound Bihar. The Cabinet also sanctioned the doubling of the 177-km Bhagalpur-Dumka-Rampurhat railway line, which passes through Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, at a cost of Rs 31.7 billion.The Rs 44.5 billion highway project will be constructed under the hybrid annuity model, a variant of public-private partnership. The Mokama-Munger stretch was the only remaining two-lane section of the 363-km Buxar-Bhagalpur corridor. Fou..

Infrastructure Transport

15 Sep 2025

NGT Issues Notice on Bengaluru Twin Tunnel Project

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday issued notices in response to a petition filed by Bengaluru Praja Vedike and others, challenging the Bengaluru twin tunnel road project. Petitioners claim the project was “hastily announced” and bypassed mandatory environmental impact assessment procedures.Notices have been served to the Karnataka Government, Greater Bengaluru Authority, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE), the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and project consultants.The 16.74-km twin-tube..

Real Estate

15 Sep 2025

India’s Residential Sales to Dip Slightly in FY26

Residential sales in India’s seven major cities are projected to decline by up to 3 per cent year-on-year in FY26 to 620–640 million square feet (msf), amid a moderation in sales velocity, according to ratings agency Icra.In FY25, sales stood at 643 msf, down 8 per cent YoY, following a sharp contraction in new launches and moderated demand in the affordable and mid-income segments. This slowdown came after the sector posted a robust compound annual growth rate of 26 per cent in area sales between FY22 and FY24.Icra noted: “Having seen a strong upcycle, the sector entered an equilibrium ..