A mosque located in the operational area of the Kolkata airport hinders the flight from using the full runway, the Government told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The Centre said the airport has two parallel runways and the secondary is used when the primary is occupied. However, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said, a mosque is located in the approach area, which limits the one side to only 88 metres.
“Kolkata Airport has two parallel runways viz., primary runway (19L-01R) and secondary runway (19R-01L). The primary runway is designated for regular, day-to-day airport operations,” the MoCA said in reply to BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya in the upper house on Tuesday.
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What did the MP ask?
In his question, the MP asked if it is a fact that the mosque located within the operational area of Kolkataairport, adjacent to the secondary runway, continues to obstruct the safe extension and full utilisation of that runway.
“if so,” he added, “reason for not initiating removal or relocation of the mosque despite repeated notices and safety concerns.”
He also sought the information on whether the demolition of the old terminal buildings at Kolkata airport has been
delayed despite the proposal for constructing a new integrated terminal; and if it all something like this is being planned, “the reasons for such delay and the revised timeline for demolition and commencement of the new terminal project”.
What government said
Replying to the question, Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, said of the two runways the airport has, “the primary runway is designated for regular, day-to-day airport operations. The secondary runway is used only when the primary runway is unavailable, such as during scheduled maintenance activities”.
“A mosque is situated in the approach area of the secondary runway which displaces the northern side threshold by 88 m,” it said.
 Centre’s reply in Rajya SabhaOn the question of a new terminal, the government said the matter was taken up by the Airports Authority of India(AAI) with the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) for obtaining the requisite approvals for demolition of the old terminal buildings at Kolkata Airport.
“The timeline for demolition and commencement of the new terminal project remains contingent upon these approvals,” it said.
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‘Not a Mandir-Masjid issue’
Sharing the screengrab of the reply on X, BJP’s Amit Malviya said, “ assenger safety cannot be sacrificed for appeasement politics. Mamata Banerjee must know that.”
West Bengal BJP President and MP Samik Bhattacharya said it is “not a mandir-masjid issue”. He said the mosque is a place of worship and the operational system of the airport is facing issues.
“Demolishing a masjid or constructing a mandir is not the BJP’s aim. We only want the masjid to be peacefully shifted from there. The government should come forward and make some arrangements for this so that operations run smoothly. Kolkata airport needs to be expanded. There is also a requirement for another airport…” he said.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said the demand has been a long-standing one. “Because of this, the length of the runway is not being increased. Having a masjid at a place as sensitive as the airport, that too near the runway, is worrying,” he said.
The minister said the Masjid can be moved to another place, as is done in the UAE. “Masjid is a place where you offer namaz, unlike a temple where an idol is consecrated. If the masjid committee thinks about the country, they should have a discussion with the Airport Authority of India. A new masjid can be built elsewhere… The Bengal government will not take action because it is their votebank…” he said.
Reacting to the issue, Shafique Qamsi, the Imam of Kolkata’s Nakhoda Masjid, said there has always been politics over the mosque, “but during the Vajpayee government, a meeting was held in Delhi with then Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain”.
Kolkata, West Bengal: The issue of the mosque located in front of the second runway of Kolkata Airport was raised in Parliament.
Shafique Qamsi, the Imam of Kolkata’s Nakhoda Masjid, says, “There has always been politics over the mosque, but during the Vajpayee government, a… pic.twitter.com/pZhn9Oy5ct
— IANS (@ians_india) December 3, 2025 He said that MPs from various parties were invited and the central government had asked Minister Shahnawaz Hussain to resolve the issue.
“He came with a delegation, inspected the runway, and settled the matter. He said the mosque would remain where it is. Regarding the runway extension, it was decided that it could be extended further on the airport’s land beyond the boundary, while allowing the mosque to stay in its current location,” he added. |
