Kolkata airport
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Kolkata: Authorities of the Kolkata airport have started preparations to tackle any situation arising out of a possible cyclonic storm that could hit coastal areas of West Bengal and Odisha on October 25, a senior official said on Tuesday.
The standard operating procedures such as inspection of the airport infrastructure and the drainage system, checking and servicing of all installations are being carried out, he said.
“I am also scheduled to hold a meeting with various stakeholders at the airport soon,” Director of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Dr Pravat Ranjan Beuria, told PTI.
A well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday, as it rolled towards the eastern coast with the likelihood of turning into a severe cyclonic storm, the IMD said.
The depression is likely to further intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 23 and a severe cyclonic storm by October 25, it said.
“We are expecting heavy rainfall, which may cause inundation in and around the airport premises. We are working closely with the state government to handle the situation,” Beuria said.
Asked about the possible impact on flight operations, he said it will depend on the situation after the cyclone makes landfall.
“For the moment, the airport officials are following the standard operating procedures,” he added.