Cooch Behar, Feb. 5 -- The Cooch Behar-Kolkata air service will not be suspended immediately, with flights set to operate once a week for the time being. The first flight is scheduled to land at Cooch Behar Airport on Thursday, February 12. According to airport authorities, daily flight operations are expected to resume from the second week of March.
The airline that has been operating the route for the past three years will continue services on a limited basis.
The carrier had earlier announced the suspension of flights after January 31, leading to the discontinuation of services from February 1. The decision had triggered concern among business and political circles, who demanded continuation of the air link.
Confirming the development, Cooch Behar Airport director Subhashis Pal said the airline has officially communicated its decision to operate one flight per week from February 12 due to a temporary shortage of aircraft. "Daily flights will resume from mid-March, and operations will follow the same schedule as earlier," he added.
Since February 2023, a nine-seater aircraft had been operating regularly on the Cooch Behar-Kolkata route and had gained popularity among passengers. Following news of its suspension, local traders, the district administration, and political leaders raised the issue with authorities. Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia had written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation seeking intervention, while BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya also assured support during a recent visit to the airport.
The decision to resume weekly flights has brought temporary relief to residents and stakeholders across the district.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.