Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: The site has already been identified, according to the Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Shantanu Thakur, the Union Minister of State, emphatically stated that an airport is indeed coming up in Kalyani. Discussions regarding this matter have reportedly already taken place with the Chief Minister. Previously, the state saw the establishment of Dum Dum Airport, followed by Bagdogra Airport and, later, Andal Airport in Durgapur. Now, to alleviate congestion at the Kolkata airport, the state's fourth airport is set to be constructed in Kalyani. Shantanu Thakur announced this while attending an event at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya in Haringhata, Nadia. He said, "An airport will be built in Kalyani in the near future. Discussions have been held with the Chief Minister. The operational details will be finalized at an opportune time, but the site identification process is already complete." Aviation experts believe that the construction of this fourth airport in Kalyani will significantly reduce the pressure on Kolkata Airport. Dum Dum currently faces immense pressure from constant flight operations, often leading to mid-air traffic congestion. Since the distance between Dum Dum and Kalyani is not significant, the operationalization of the Kalyani airport would allow many flights to depart from there instead of Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport without causing major inconvenience to passengers. In fact, it would make air travel more convenient for residents of districts such as Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, and Malda. It remains to be seen when this vision will become a reality.
