West Bengal State government has already given a three-year waiver of surcharge on ATF for three years to Andal, Coochbehar and Bagdogra airports.

 Kolkata, India, 16 April, 2015 - Country’s first private Greenfield airport at Durgapur  promoted by Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd (BAPL) is started from April 14.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Mr. Alapan Bandopadhyay, West Bengal State Transport Secretary, said in Durgapur on Monday  “The final calibration of navigational aids at the airport by Airport Authority is done. Now, we expect to get final DGCA licence in a month,” 

Pinnacle Air a non-scheduled airline, will begin its operations from Durgapur four days a week connecting Bagdogra, Coochbehar, Durgapur and Kolkata soon after getting license from DGCA . he added.

In all probability the airport, christened Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, will be operational from April 14 the first day of Bengali calendar BAPL officials said.

The West Bengal government has 1.2 per cent stake in BAPL and Singapore’s Changi Airport is the single largest shareholder in the airport.

BAPL managing director Partha Ghosh said the company is in negotiations with IndiGo and GoAir for scheduled flights for connecting Delhi-Durgapur including Air India and non-schedule airline Air Coasta for connecting southern cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Air Costa may connect these two south Indian cities for four days a week.

Comparable to the best in the world the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is the country's first Greenfield airport developed under the public-private partnership initiative.

Built by GMR group that has a majority stake of 63 per cent in the project, the Rs.2,470 crore airport has several firsts to its credit. It has the longest runway in Asia at 4.26 km and the tallest air traffic control (ATC) tower in the country at 75 metres.

Accompanied by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy the UPA chairperson flew down to Shamshabad to participate in the inaugural function.

The Greenfield airport spread over 5,400 acres is a joint venture of GMR group, Malaysia airports holdings Berhad which has 11 per cent stake in the project, Airports Authority of India and Andhra Pradesh Government having 13 per cent stake each.

In the first phase the airport can handle 12 million passengers and the capacity will be increased in phases to handle 40 million passengers a year. The airport can accommodate Airbus A-320, the largest passenger aircraft in the world that can carry 853 passengers.

Designed by Hong Kong based architects Winsston Shu and Gudmund Stokke, the airport has world class passenger terminal.

However, the final agreement will depend on concessions the Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport offers. The major concessions demanded by the scheduled airlines are waiver of landing and takeoff fees, underwriting minimum of seats and 30 per cent surcharge waiver for ATF for a greater time frame.

West Bengal State government has already given a three-year waiver of surcharge on ATF for three years to Andal, Coochbehar and Bagdogra airports