|
 Bagdogra
Bagdogra is the most important airport in the
North-East Himalayas and only airport in North Bengal and Sikkim.
It has immense importance for the tourism in the Eastern Himalayas.
The Airport is located just 18kms from Siliguri,
the gateway to East India.
 Currently
Indian Airlines and Jet Airways are operating daily flights
from Bagdogra to New Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati.
The area was mostly forest land which was converted
into tea gardens by the British. With the Tea gardens came the
Adivasis (aborigins) who would work in the gardens. The town Bagdogra has developed around the
airport and the local tea gardens played an important role in
the development of this area. After independence the significance
of the area increased several fold as a connector to North-East
India. Realizing the geographical and security importance of
Bagdogra, the Defence Ministry set up a small airport in Bagdogra.
Civilian aircrafts are also allowed in this airport. In the
recent past the civilian tarmac has been rebuilt. There is a
demand by the tourism industry of the region to convert the
airport into an international one. |
