The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- A decades-old mosque, known as Bankra Masjid, stands less than 300 metres from the secondary runway of Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and remains at the centre of a dispute over security and airport expansion.
- The mosque dates back to the 1890s, predating the airfield built by the British in 1924, and records show it was preserved when the state government acquired the land in 1962.
- Political leaders, including BJP's Sukanta Majumdar's party colleagues Suvendu Adhikari and Samik Bhattacharyya, have questioned its presence, saying it hinders airport expansion and raises security concerns.
- Past proposals to relocate it failed, and in 2023 the airport began a special bus service to bring worshippers in, which causes operational difficulties for flights during busy hours.
What to watch next
- Whether the Ministry of Civil Aviation or AAI offers a new proposal to relocate or accommodate the mosque
- Political developments in West Bengal around the mosque issue after recent statements by BJP leaders
- Any changes to the 2023 bus service arrangement for worshippers amid flight operation disruptions
Coverage1
1 report
Indian-language1
All filed from India
Named India · Kolkata · West Bengal · Airports Authority of India · Bankra Mosque · Bharatiya Janata Party · Buddhadev Bhattacharjee · Ministry of Civil Aviation · Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport · Samik Bhattacharya · Shahnawaz Hussain · Suvendu Adhikari · Taslima Nasreen
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