PM Modi first passenger to fly out of Kazi Nazrul Islam airport in West Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday became the first passenger to fly out of the Kazi Nazrul Islam airport in West Bengal's Andal, days before it begins commercial operations.

India's first private greenfield airport located in Durgapur-Andal region has been set up in collaboration with the Changi International Airport, Singapore.

It is likely to begin commercial operations from May 18, according to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Modi flew to the airport by a chopper from Asansol, where he dedicated to the nation an upgraded and modernized IISCO steel plant at Burnpur.

The prime minister left for Delhi by an Indian Air Force aircraft at 1 pm.

The 650-acre airport is the centrepiece of the Rs 10,000 crore Aerotropolis, an ambitious township project in the Durgapur-Andal region, presently in the developmental phase.