Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said on Monday that the central government had sanctioned Rs 3,000 crore for the expansion of the Bagdogra airport and the upgrade would begin soon.

“I had recently a one-to-one meeting with the chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). At the meeting, he told me about the approval of the funds to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore by the Centre for the expansion of the Bagdogra airport. Later, the AAI made a formal announcement of the funds' approval,” said Bista.

He was in Siliguri to attend a programme where the formal announcement of the upcoming Bengal Travel Mart (BTM) was made. The Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators Association (EHTTOA) will hold the seventh edition of the mart, one of the biggest extravaganzas in eastern India to promote tourism, from September 9 to 11.

The BJP MP said improving connectivity in north Bengal was a priority of the Narendra Modi government.

Some of the projects which will be taken up in the region include the six-lane road along NH10 from Balason of Matigara to Sevoke army cantonment (connecting northwest and northeast of Siliguri), on which Rs 1,000 crore will be spent. The New Jalpaiguri station will also get a facelift, for which Rs 350 crore has been sanctioned.

“The construction of the boundary wall of the airport is in progress. Certain changes have been made in its design and other constructions will commence soon,” he added.

Sources said the Centre had initially planned to spend Rs 1,500 crores on the expansion of the Bagdogra airport which handles over 8,000 passengers and around 60 flight movements every day.

Later, the amount was increased to Rs 1,800 crore and now, there is another revision in the allotment.

Sandipan Ghosh, the general secretary of EHTTOA, elaborated on the upcoming travel mart.

“BTM which is considered one of the biggest domestic travel marts of the country successfully showcases the entire Northeast. The officials of the Union tourism ministry and the state tourism department, and representatives of 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,” Ghosh said.