BJP leaders demand to name Aligarh airport after Kalyan Singh

Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Aligarh have reiterated their demand to name the newly-constructed mini airport in Aligarh after party veteran Kalyan Singh.

Kalyan Singh, 89, passed away in Lucknow on Sunday night after a prolonged illness.

BJP MP Satish Gautam, earlier this month, had sought the naming of the airport after Kalyan Singh.

"His contribution towards the Ram temple movement is known to all. He was also personally connected to the residents of Aligarh," Gautam had said.

Yatin Dixit, a district-level BJP leader, said they have given a memorandum in this regard to the Chief Minister through the district magistrate demanding that the airport be named after Kalyan Singh, whose contribution to the city, the state and the party is unparalleled.

Following Singh's demise, the BJP leaders also want a larger-than-life statue of the veteran leader to be installed at a strategic point in Aligarh.

The airport is likely to be thrown open to air traffic next month.

The construction work of the mini airport has been completed.

A DGCA team will soon visit Aligarh for inspection before giving a nod for it to apply for a license.

City Magistrate Vineet Kumar Singh said, "The airport project which started in 2018, has cost over Rs 20 crore and is almost complete. The state police will take care of the airport security and 50 police personnel will be deputed for it."

He said that all work including extension of the runway from 900 meters to 1,250 meters, the terminal building and five watch towers have been completed.

"At least six 19-seater aircraft can be parked at the airport," he said, adding that under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) a flight has been proposed from Aligarh to Lucknow in the first phase. Later, air travel facility will be started from Aligarh to different cities of the state.