Bagdogra airport expansion will require 110 acres of land from Bengal tea garden

The West Bengal government is working for the acquisition of 110 acres of land required for expansion of the Bagdogra airport in Darjeeling district, state minister Goutam Deb said on Friday. The plan is to acquire the land of a tea garden for the purpose.

"We have to give the 110 acres land to the Airport Authority of India for expansion of Bagdogra airport. We are actively pursuing it," Tourism Minister Goutam Deb said on the sidelines of the Infocom 2018.

According to reports, the AAI has agreed to pay Rs 25 crore as compensation for the land to be acquired by the West Bengal government.

Deb said the number of flights and passengers have increased owing to night landing facility and tax breaks for aircraft turbine fuel at the Bagdogra airport, used by people to visit Sikkim and Darjeeling and its surrounding areas.