After Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata is getting another airport — How it will change the way you fly

Kolkata is set to become India's third metropolitan region with multiple commercial airports, joining the National Capital Region (NCR) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), after the West Bengal government announced plans to develop a greenfield airport near Kalyani.

The proposal, unveiled during the presentation of the West Bengal Budget 2026-27 on Monday, marks a significant shift in the state's aviation strategy and revives a long-pending project that had remained stalled for years over land acquisition concerns.

Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta announced that the state government would develop a greenfield airport near Kalyani, around 50 km north of Kolkata, to improve regional connectivity and support economic growth. Once operational, it will serve as the second commercial airport for the Kolkata Metropolitan Area alongside the existing Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum.

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The move comes after years of political opposition to the project. Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had repeatedly resisted the Centre's proposal for a second airport, arguing that acquiring nearly 1,000 acres of land would require displacing residents. With the BJP now in power in West Bengal, the Kalyani project has regained momentum.

Kolkata joins India's emerging multi-airport cities

If approved by the Centre and aviation regulators, Kolkata will become India's third metropolitan region to operate multiple commercial airports.

The National Capital Region was India's first multi-airport urban region. While Indira Gandhi International Airport remained the primary gateway for decades, commercial flights began operating from the Hindon civil enclave in Ghaziabad in 2019. Earlier this month, the region added its third civilian airport with the inauguration of Noida International Airport at Jewar.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region followed suit with the development of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, designed to complement the heavily congested Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, which has long operated close to its capacity.

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The proposed Kalyani airport would make the Kolkata Metropolitan Area the first multi-airport region in eastern India.

Globally, major metropolitan areas including London, New York, Paris and Tokyo rely on multiple airports to handle growing passenger traffic, cargo movement and future aviation demand. Aviation experts increasingly view multi-airport systems as essential infrastructure for rapidly expanding urban regions.

Why Kolkata needs a second airport

Kolkata's existing airport handled nearly 2.1 crore passengers in FY2024-25, making it one of India's busiest aviation hubs. Passenger traffic has steadily recovered and expanded after the pandemic, driven by increasing business activity, tourism and cargo demand across eastern India.

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A second airport is expected to ease future congestion, improve operational flexibility and strengthen connectivity to the fast-growing northern suburbs of Kolkata. Kalyani also enjoys strategic advantages due to its road and rail connectivity with Nadia district and neighbouring Bangladesh, enhancing its potential as a logistics and commercial hub.

The project also aligns with the expansion of the Kolkata Metropolitan Area, which has increasingly grown beyond the city's traditional boundaries toward New Town, Rajarhat, Kalyani and other satellite townships.

Although several locations—including Andal, Kalyani and parts of South 24 Parganas—have been evaluated over the years, issues related to land acquisition, regulatory approvals and project viability repeatedly delayed progress.

The latest budget announcement signals renewed political backing for the Kalyani proposal. Once it secures the necessary approvals from the Central government and aviation authorities, Kolkata will join Delhi NCR and Mumbai as India's third metropolitan region with multiple commercial airports, marking a major milestone in the country's expanding aviation infrastructure.

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