To bolster ‘Chicken’s Neck’ security, abandoned WWII-era airstrips will be revived

Jalpaiguri: Centre aims to revive several abandoned airstrips, some dating back to the World War-II era, in Bengal, Assam and Tripura. Sources said the govt wanted to increase regional connectivity in the states bordering Bangladesh at a time when India's relationship with the neighbouring nation had hit an all-time low.Recently, Bangladesh also moved to redevelop the Lalmonirhat airbase in Rangpur, close to the Siliguri corridor. The corridor is also known as the "Chicken's Neck" and connects Northeast to the mainland.
Over the past year, extremist elements in Bangladesh have repeatedly threatened to ‘cut off' India's Northeast from the mainland. Although Bangladesh has officially stated that the Rangpur base's primary role was for its national needs and not for the use of any other nation's military, sources said India was not willing to take chances. India has already bolstered its military presence in the region by establishing three new Army bases: Chopra in Bengal, Kishanganj in Bihar, and Lachit Borphukan in Dhubri, Assam.The airstrips that will be renovated are Ambari and Panga in Jalpaiguri, Balurghat in South Dinajpur, Jhaljhalia in Malda, and Dhubri in Assam. Cooch Behar and Rupsi in Assam's Kokrajhar district are already operational. Airports Authority of India (AAI) has handed over the airfields in Bengal to state govt. "India wants to keep the runways operation-ready," said an official.Defence sources noted that while there are operational challenges, efforts are underway to make the strips usable. "Several airfields are covered with vegetation, broken, damaged, and in the midst of settlements, which makes them unfit for any major operation. However, minor repair work may be underway so that helicopters and small aircraft can land there in case of an emergency," a source said.