The central government has allocated over Rs 1,800 crore for the infrastructure development at the Bagdogra airport and wants states to develop facilities to introduce helicopter services on various routes.

Gen. (Retd) V.K. Singh, the Union minister of state for civil aviation, informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had planned to develop the civil enclave at the Bagdogra airport and would spend Rs 1,884 crore for the purpose. The work, he said, is likely to start this month.

In March, the Bengal government had handed over around 100 acres of land to the AAI for the expansion of the airport, which handles around 50 flights and 8,000-odd passengers every day.

Soon after getting hold of the land, the AAI floated tenders for architectural and engineering consultancy for the new infrastructure, which includes the terminal, parking bays and parking spaces.

“It is an important development for the region. Earlier, the Centre had hinted that around Rs 1,300 crore would be spent on the project but now, the allocation has increased. It is evident that the government wants to come up with appropriate infrastructure that can handle the rising passenger traffic for years,” said Shankar Ghosh, the Siliguri MLA.

Around two million passengers use the airport in a year.

Singh, in his reply, also elaborated on his ministry’s policy for the promotion of helicopter services across the country.

“According to the policy, airport operators, state governments, and Union territories need to develop heliports to introduce chopper services,” said a source.

The policy also includes concessions in different charges and training facilities for air traffic control to make helicopter operations viable on different routes.

In the past couple of years, the Bengal government has been focusing on the introduction of helicopter services to connect various ends of the state with airports like Bagdogra. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has said a number of times that she wants such services to commence in the state.

Last week, the state transport department organised a chopper trial run from Bagdogra to Mirik, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong.

“The state governments should take this opportunity to introduce helicopter services to the hills from Bagdogra. It would boost tourism and can also help local people during emergency situations,” Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bistasaid.