Airport administration has banned entry and suspended prayers at the Gauripur Jama (Bankra) Mosque located within the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport [1, 2].

This action impacts a long-standing religious site situated near the facility's critical aviation infrastructure. The decision highlights the tension between maintaining historical religious practices and meeting modern aviation security standards during airport expansion.

The mosque is 136 years old [1]. It is located near the main runway, specifically in close proximity to the shorter of the two runways [1, 2]. Because of this location, airport officials determined that the presence of the structure and the gathering of people posed a security risk [1, 2].

An airport spokesperson said that prayers were temporarily suspended due to security reasons near the main runway [1]. This measure is part of a broader plan to relocate the mosque to another site to ensure the airport meets safety and security requirements [1, 2].

State Minister Dilip Ghosh said that there is no security reason for the mosque to remain in its current location [2]. The move is intended to facilitate the expansion of the airport while maintaining necessary security protocols [2].

Security agencies and airport management are currently coordinating the process of relocating the site. The administration has not yet announced the specific new location for the mosque, but the restriction on entry remains in effect as of this week [1, 2].

“Prayers were temporarily suspended due to security reasons near the main runway.”

The suspension of activities at the Gauripur Jama Mosque reflects the increasing pressure on urban infrastructure in Kolkata. As the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport expands to handle more traffic, the government is prioritizing the 'sterile zone' around runways over the preservation of historical sites in situ. The relocation plan suggests a compromise to maintain the religious site's existence while removing a perceived vulnerability in the airport's security perimeter.