‘VVIP activity surge four times’ : Kolkata airport plans dedicated zone for helicopters and chartered flights

“We are preparing for a dedicated zone specifically for helicopter movements. Apart from the visits by the Prime Minister and Home Minister, we anticipate visits by the national star campaigners, Union ministers, and state leadership from all major political parties. We will also set up revolving doors for the high-profile arrivals to allow multiple people to move through simultaneously,” an official said.

Under usual circumstances, the Kolkata airport handles five to six helicopter movements each day. However, with the election fever intensifying, that number has already doubled to an average of 10 to 12 daily flights, the official said, adding these movements are expected to exceed 20 per day, effectively quadrupling the standard operational volume during the poll season.

Noting a stark difference with the last Assembly elections in 2021, where the VVIP movement was restricted due to the Covid-19 curbs, the official said this year, the movement is “record-breaking”.

“There is also increased coordination between the airport security, CISF, and state police to manage the crowds and convoys that accompany the high-profile leaders, officials said.

According to an official, VIP helicopters have designated parking zones to ensure they are away from public view or commercial congestion.

Elaborating on the standard guidelines for these choppers, the official said the helicopters undergo a mandatory “anti-sabotage” inspection by the Bomb Disposal Squad and sniffer dogs before the VIP boards. VIPs usually bypass the main terminal queues and are escorted through a dedicated lounge where security frisking and baggage screening are conducted by a special CISF team in a private setting.

However, during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the protocol shifts. Even for VIPs, baggage is subjected to inspection by Election Commission (ECI) observers to prevent the transport of cash or illegal items. For high-profile political leaders, a helicopter or a fixed-wing aircraft is often kept ready as a back-up. The weather office also provides a dedicated “VIP Weather Briefing” to the pilots 30 minutes prior to departure, giving a low-down on local storms typical in Bengal, the official said.

According to the official, the Kolkata airport follows a rigid framework for helicopters carrying VVIPs (Prime Minister and President) and VIPs (Chief Ministers and Union ministers). The protocol is set by the Airports Authority of India, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

An advance coordination meeting, involving the Airport Director, Air Traffic Control (ATC), State Police, Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the security team of the person is held 24-48 hours before the movement and the flight is given “Right of Way” over commercial flights, wherein the ATC ensures no other landing or take-off within a 3-minute window of the person’s estimated time of arrival or departure, the official added.

Controversies surrounding VVIP chopper movements

Several incidents involving helicopters have led to accusations regarding safety protocols.

In January 2026, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged the DGCA denied flight clearance for his helicopter to Birbhum, claiming it was a “BJP ploy” to stop his public meetings.

Just before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Income Tax (I-T) officials conducted a search of a helicopter used by Abhishek while undergoing a trial run before a trip to Haldia. TMC called it a “raid” alleging that officials harassed security personnel, searched every bag, and even forced the deletion of mobile videos taken by the staff. Abhishek called the officials “BJP minions” and claimed they found nothing., while I-T said it was a “routine verification” based on ATC alerts. His party had also filed a formal complaint with the Election Commission, labelling it “executive overreach” while the BJP hit back saying “no one was above law” and the search was a standard “anti-black money measure”.

In April 2024, CM Mamata Banerjee slipped and fell inside the cabin of a helicopter in Durgapur, raising concerns about maintenance of the stairs and safety protocols.

In June 2023,  while returning from a Panchayat election rally in Jalpaiguri, Banerjee’s helicopter encountered severe weather and the pilot made an emergency landing at the Sevoke airbase. Banerjee suffered ligament injuries during the landing/evacuation, which required surgery and restricted her movement for weeks.

During the 2019 general elections and 2021 state elections, several BJP leaders frequently alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government denied their helicopters permission to land on certain grounds or delayed ATC clearances to disrupt their schedules.