As the time of suspending flight operations gradually approaches in the wake of cyclone Dana, the Calcutta airport authorities started making arrangements to ensure safety of people and planes and infrastructure at the facility.

Flight operations at the airport will be suspended for 15 hours from 6 pm on Thursday.

All entry and exit doors of the terminal building will be sealed after the last flight departs from the Calcutta airport while the aircraft parked on the bays will be tied up, airport Director Dr Pravat Ranjan Beuria said.

“In addition, all aerobridges will be retracted and ladders will be tied together to prevent those from moving and hitting planes during the storm,” Beuria said.

Following the standard operating procedure, all vehicles used in the airside of the airport will be removed from the operational area.

“All ground handling equipment will also be chained together so that nothing moves due to the gusts,” the airport director said.

All ground handling units or agencies will ensure that nothing - no materials related to their work – is left in the open. This is done to ensure that there is no flying debris during the storm. They could cause damage to aircraft parked on the tarmac, Beuria said.

Sources said that airlines work in sync with the authorities of the airport.

Other standard safety-related procedures such as lowering of high mast lights and mooring of smaller aircraft will also be done, the sources said.

No light or moveable objects will be left in the open.

Pumps are on standby at the operational area of the airport to drain out water from the premises in case there is inundation due to heavy rainfall induced by the cyclone, the airport director said.

The state government employees have also been informed to make sure that the area around the airport premises, both city side and air side, are free from waterlogging because it needs to be ensured that the approach roads to the airport are clear once operations at the airport resume at 9 am on Friday.

“I have also written a letter to the chief engineer of the PWD department,” Beuria told PTI.

In view of cyclone Dana's impact on the coastal region of West Bengal, including Calcutta, it has been decided to suspend the flight operations from 6 pm on October 24 to 9 am on October 25 due to predicted heavy winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall.

The IMD said that the cyclone is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port in neighbouring Odisha early Friday. The maximum speed during the landfall process is likely to be around 120 kmph.

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