Kolkata is a much bigger city than Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, but there are no non-stop flights from Kolkata to Europe and America! Does it fall under the anti-Bengali program of the BJP government?

Kolkata/Calcutta airport which started in early 1900 is another example of decay as overall Bengal economy that stagnated during communist rule. Most international players like KLM, Aeroflot, SAS, Swissair, Lufthansa, PanAm (now shut), Japan Airlines, British Airways, Cathey Pacific, Alitalia, Quantas etc. shifted to other main cities like New Delhi and Bombay (Mumbai) and much smaller and newer airports from Kerala, Bangalore, Hydrabad, Amritsar etc. stared clocking higher international traffic. Till 1970, Calclutta airport was the busiest in India.

People of Bengal have developed a habit of blaming government in Delhi for all their problems. It is true that in Nehru era, some economic blunders were made like freight equalisation policy, mishandling of east Pakistan refugee waves, for which Bengal and Bihar suffered. Now they will blame BJP as they are in power without looking at labour militantism is the main reason for downfall of all economic and industrial activity in Bengal. The international airlines exit from Kolkata airport is mainly because regular traffic jams on street due to processions, labour militantism inside airport unions etc. and general economic decline under communist rule. So, the travel cost to south east Asian cities like Bangakok, Singapore from Calcutta is double than travel from Delhi despite half the distance. But the good sign is international traffic is again growing fast after 2014 from Kolkata (year 2020 is exceptional covid year) since Modi government took over. Again, no credit to any state or central government but some economic green-shoots are emerging in Bengal after four disastrous decades.

Subhash Bose lands at Calcutta airport which was later named after him

Pan-Am jet crashed at Calcutta airport on 13-06-1968

Netaji Subhash Bose airport Kolkata flooded after recent cyclone Amphan

Currently, there is no point comparing Kolkata city or airport with Bangalore/Bengaluru, Chennai or Mumbai as they are way ahead in all economic indicators. Kolkata is below city like Surat (in Gujarat) in terms of economic output which was till recently considered a small city. Kolkata ais worst city to live in terms of employment, cleanliness, political or naxalite violence and in almost all parameters -economic, political, social. What a disgraceful fall!

All-round disgraceful but Bongs still thinks Kolkata is still the best!

My parents (Anglo Indians) moved out of Calcutta in early 1960's before the start of naxalite movement and when that city was perhaps best city to live in India. Most of my relatives moved out of Bengal by 1990's as communists successfully transformed the state in 50 years from best to worst with T@liban style lawless violence which benefits only few ruling elite.

High growth seen in Kolkata airport traffic in 2014-2018 gives a glimpse of hope but other Indian states are running faster than Bengal.

Picture source: Google 

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