After Kozhikode Airport Mishap, Next Disaster Could Happen at Kolkata International Airport

After the tragic plane crash at the Karipur Airport in Kozhikode, Kerala, the Kolkata Airport Authorities are worried about the runway at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. The 120-year-old Bakra mosque is situated within 280 metres of the secondary runway. Unable to extend the runway to the North, AAI has extended it towards the South but has not been able to match the length of the primary runway. The Kolkata Airport Authority has raised objections against the mosque, which is now a major safety concern.

The problem for authorities is that the mosque stands in front of the second runway at the Kolkata Airport. As a rule, under the 'Runway End Safety Area' (RESA), a minimum safety gap of 240 meters should be maintained from the end of the runway. This issue was earlier flagged and has been raised many times but there has been no solution to it till now. The Bakra mosque is still there.

According to sources, the Kolkata Airport Authority has already spoken to the chief secretary of West Bengal but due to the lockdown, no progress was made. The Airport Authority will talk to the West Bengal government about this issue again.

Also Watch:

Arvind Singh, Chairman AAI said, "Generally, some space has been left in every airport where the runway ends. If this was maintained in Kozhikode, maybe the accident may not have happened. For safety, this space or gap should be maintained at the end of the runway. The country's airport runway security authorities have been on high alert since this tragic incident took place in Kozhikode. The matter of the mosque is very sensitive, but at the same time for safety reason, the second runway of Kolkata Airport should be increased. We will discuss this matter with the State Government again."

The secondary runway in Kolkata Airport is much shorter than the primary runway. Pilots have, in the past, expressed discomfort over the presence of the mosque in such proximity to the runway particularly when landing from the North. Some have even missed the touchdown point on occasions.

“It isn’t about a mosque. Any building would be undesirable in the line of the runway," a veteran pilot explained.