Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Monday commenced operational trials for its new, state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, said officials.
According to the Airport Authority of India officials, the new ATC tower — part of a Rs 130 crore modular expansion project — is expected to be fully operational by late 2025 or early 2026.
The entire air traffic navigation complex, including area control and technical blocks, is also slated for completion around the same time.
The new spiral torch-shaped tower, 86 metres in height, will initially operate for two hours daily, from 2 pm to 4 pm, for the next three months, the airport officials said, adding that during the trial period, both the old and new ATC towers will function simultaneously.
“Initially, parallel operations will happen with both the existing tower and the new tower functioning in tandem,” stated an airport official.
According to officials, during the two-hour trial period, nearly 40 aircrafts will land and take off at the Kolkata Airport. Once the new tower becomes fully operational, it will be manned by around eight technicians from the communication, navigation, and surveillance branches, they said.
The new tower is also equipped with advanced digital technology for communication and air traffic systems that will help enhance the safety and efficiency of flight operations.
The airport officials stated that the old ATC system faced limitations in monitoring aircraft in certain sections of the apron area, particularly those parked along the international wing of T2. The space constraints in the old building also hindered the modernization of the ATC system.
“With the functioning of the new tower, it will be easier to roll out the automation and air traffic management system,” an airport official explained.
The technical block within the new complex will also house critical systems such as the flight data and radar data processing systems, data control processing system, and new monitoring systems, officials said.
Additionally, the security arrangements for the new complex are also being finalised. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will be responsible for the security of the ATC tower, while private security guards will secure the rest of the new air traffic navigation complex, including the area control and technical blocks.
“The operationalization of the new ATC tower at Kolkata Airport is a significant milestone in upgrading the airport’s infrastructure and ensuring safer and more efficient air travel for passengers,” said an airport official.