The relocation of the 136-year-old Gauripur Jama Masjid, widely known as the Bankra Mosque, from within the premises of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata formally commenced on Saturday, 11 July, after decades of inconclusive negotiations. Government officials confirmed that entry passes through the airport gate for the mosque have been suspended and prayers inside the structure have ceased, marking the first concrete step in a long-pending airport security and infrastructure upgrade.

What Has Changed on the Ground

As of Saturday, the NSCBI Airport administration stopped issuing entry passes for worshippers who accessed the mosque through the airport gate. Prayers inside the mosque have been formally halted. Police and security personnel have been deployed in the area to maintain social harmony, according to officials.

Dum Dum Uttar MLA Sourav Sikdar was present at the site on Saturday morning and engaged with local residents and worshippers. He later stated that most of those who came to offer prayers had accepted the relocation step. He also urged that no one incite tension over the matter, noting that airport security considerations were central to the decision.

Why the Mosque Had to Move

NSCBI Airport operates two runways — a primary runway used for major takeoffs and landings, and a shorter secondary runway. The Bankra Mosque stands in close proximity to the secondary runway, and experts have long flagged it as a risk to aircraft operations. Airport officials noted that the mosque's presence had stalled expansion work on the second runway and posed a hazard during takeoff and landing approaches.

Notably, if the primary runway is taken offline for maintenance, the secondary runway must handle all traffic — including wide-body aircraft. The mosque's proximity makes that operationally unsafe, according to aviation officials. This is the core technical argument that has driven the relocation push for several decades.

Decades of Talks, Finally a Resolution

Discussions about moving the Gauripur Jama Masjid have been ongoing for many years, with no firm resolution reached until recently. After a change of government in West Bengal, fresh administrative momentum built around the issue. A formal meeting was held at the North 24 Parganas District Magistrate's office, attended by local legislators and members of the mosque committee. A dedicated inspection team assessed the mosque, and a separate session was convened with the airport security committee.

It was initially decided that a final call on the 136-year-old structure would be taken after Eid. The mosque committee had earlier stated that they did not wish to compromise airport safety and acknowledged the airport authorities' offer to construct a larger mosque at an alternative site outside the airport boundary. Ultimately, according to officials, a decision was reached amicably.

What Happens Next

With entry passes suspended and prayers stopped, the ground-level process of physical relocation is now underway. The airport authorities have reportedly committed to building a larger replacement mosque outside the airport perimeter. Runway expansion work on the secondary strip, long held up by this issue, is now expected to progress. All stakeholders, including the mosque committee, local administration, and airport security, appear to have reached a consensus, though the precise timeline for construction of the new structure has not been publicly announced.