The Cooch Behar district administration is working on a plan to introduce a second flight at the airport here and improve the infrastructure there in association with the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The Ahmedabad-based IndiaOne Air has been operating a nine-seater aircraft along the Cooch Behar-Calcutta route since February. The flight used to operate five days a week initially but the service became daily in June owing to the steady demand for tickets. It takes around one hour and 45 minutes to reach Calcutta from Cooch Behar.

Cooch Behar district magistrate Pawan Kadyan who held a meeting attended by officials of the administration, the AAI and IndiaOne Air here on Tuesday, said talks were on for a second flight.

“We are trying to get a bigger aircraft with more seats, keeping in mind the length of the existing runway. The state government has sent a proposal to the AAI to extend the runway. We are positive that a second flight will be introduced soon. The route would be decided in due course,” he said.

Sources said there was a demand to run a flight on the Cooch Behar-Guwahati route. Every day, people travel between the two destinations for business and other purposes.

Kadyan said the administration had taken up the task of re-carpeting the runway, installing CCTV cameras and emergency entry and exit gates at the airport.

“A team from the DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) visited the airport around a week ago and conducted a survey. Based on the findings of the survey, we have carried out certain tasks. The road leading to the airport has been strengthened. Some work for the bomb detection and disposal squad at the airport is in progress and will end soon,” said the DM.

In north Bengal, Cooch Behar is the second operational airport after Bagdogra. While the state government is keen to revive the airports in Malda and Balurghat, the Centre has charted an ambitious plan to start commercial flights from the Indian Air Force station at Hasimara in Alipurduar district.