The airport relies primarily on its main runway for daily flights; the secondary runway is reserved for use when the primary runway is unavailable — for instance, during maintenance. Ministry of Civil Aviation spokespersons clarified that the mosque obstructs the approach area of the secondary runway, compelling officials to shorten the available landing/take-off zone, which may impact operations during urgent or emergency situations.
The Bankra mosque predates the airport by several decades. Constructed in the late 1890s, it stood on what was then a village settlement. When the British built an aerodrome near Dum Dum in 1924 — the precursor to today’s Kolkata Airport — the mosque and nearby settlements were eventually engulfed by the expanding airport infrastructure. Villagers were relocated in the 1950s and 1960s, but the mosque was retained under agreements at the time.
Over the years, several efforts have been made to relocate the mosque to resolve the conflict between aviation safety and religious heritage. But the local Muslim community and the mosque committee have consistently rejected relocation proposals. As a result, authorities at the airport had previously contemplated alternative solutions — including the construction of a tunnel under the taxiway to allow worshippers access from outside, thereby freeing surface space for expansion. That plan, floated years ago, was seen as a potential compromise.
Opposition voices argue that the mosque’s presence remains a security threat. Sukanta Majumdar, addressing media, criticised the failure to extend the runway or relocate the mosque, comparing the situation unfavourably with airports in the UAE where prayer facilities are positioned outside the airport’s core operational zone. He urged the mosque committee and the airport authority to find a “pragmatic solution” for the sake of national interest.
Defenders of the mosque argue that relocating a place of worship deserves greater sensitivity and no community should be forced to abandon prayer facilities purely for infrastructure expansion. Local residents allege that earlier compensation offered during land acquisition was conditional on preserving the mosque — a promise which the authorities are bound to honour. According to these views, condemning the mosque as an obstacle oversimplifies the challenge of reconciling heritage with aviation demands.