KateHinson76890: Done - done

2026-01-31T18:14:59Z

Done - done

New page

{{Short description|Abandoned airfield in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Chharra Airfield
| image = Chharrah Abandoned Air Strip - I.jpg
| caption =
| pushpin_map = India West Bengal#India
| pushpin_mark = Airplane_silhouette.svg
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_label = Chharra Airfield
| pushpin_mapsize = 300
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in West Bengal
| coordinates = {{Coord|23|21|56.95|N|086|26|12.84|E|display=inline,title}}
| type = Public
| IATA =
| ICAO =
| city-served = [[Purulia]]
| location = Chharra, Purulia, [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| code =
| ownership =
| controlledby =
| built = {{start date and age|1942|||df=y|p=n|br=n}}
| r1-number = 01/19
| r1-length-m = 1400
| r1-length-f = 4593
| r1-surface = Concrete (Abandoned)
| r2-number = 10/28
| r2-length-m = 2100
| r2-length-f = 6900
| r2-surface = Concrete (Abandoned)
}}
[[File:444bg-677bs-42-63577-round-robin-rosie.jpg|thumb|The 677th Bomb Squadron 42-63577, named ''"Round Robin Rosie"'']]
[[File:444th bombardment gp-emblem.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Emblem of the 444th Bombardment Squadron]]
'''Chharra Airfield''' {{Airport codes|none|none}} is an abandoned military airfield in [[Purulia]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]], which was built in 1942 and was used until 1945, used during [[World War II]]. It was a part of the [[Twentieth Air Force]] and the [[Tenth Air Force]] of the [[Royal Indian Air Force]] (RIAF), and was the bases of 677th Bomb Squadron, or what was called as the ''"Round Robin Rosie"'', and the 444th Bombardment Squadron, both of RIAF. It is located {{cvt|8|km}} north-east from the city centre.

[[File:Twentieth Air Force - Emblem (World War II).png|thumb|Emblem of the [[Twentieth Air Force]]|90px]]
[[File:Tenth Air Force - Emblem (World War II).png|thumb|Emblem of the [[Tenth Air Force]]|90px]]

To support and facilitate development along with connectivity, employment and tourism in the region, the airstrip is being constructed into a commercial airport, consisting of a passenger terminal, a runway with taxiways connecting to it, a helipad, a passenger terminal, a flying club, an [[Air Traffic Control]] (ATC) tower among other ancillary facilities like a fire station, a cargo handling area etc. It is being built at a cost of around ₹ 300 crore and is expected to be completed by mid-2025.<ref>{{cite news|title=First airport is being built in Purulia district using British airstrip|url=https://www.sangbadpratidin.in/bengal/first-airport-is-being-built-in-purulia-district-using-british-airstrip/|work=[[Sangbad Pratidin]]|date=20 March 2023|access-date=20 March 2023|language=bn}}</ref>

==History==
During [[World War II]], the airfield hosted the [[United States Army Air Force]] [[444th Bombardment Group]]. Chharra was originally designed for [[B-24 Liberator]] use. In 1943, it was designated as a [[B-29 Superfortress]] Base for the planned deployment of the [[United States Army Air Forces]] [[XX Bomber Command]] to India. Advanced Army Air Forces echelons arrived in India in December 1943 to organize the upgrading of the airfield, and thousands of Indians labored to upgrade the facility for Superfortress operations.

On 11 April 1944, the 444th arrived after a month-long deployment over the [[South Atlantic Ocean|South Atlantic]] transport route after completing training at [[Great Bend Municipal Airport|Great Bend AAF]], [[Kansas]]. The deployment consisted of traveling to Morrison Field, [[Florida]], then south through the [[Caribbean]] to [[Natal, Rio Grande do Norte|Natal]], [[Brazil]]. From Brazil, the South Atlantic was crossed arriving in [[West Africa]] and re-assembling at [[Marrakesh]], [[Morocco]]. The group then flew north and west from Morocco through [[Algeria]] and [[Egypt]], before arriving at [[Karachi]]. By the time the group arrived at Chharra, the month-long trip had taken its toll on the aircraft and personnel. Support elements of the group included the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Bomb Maintenance Squadrons; the 12th Photo Lab, and the 25th Air Service Group.

Almost immediately upon arrival, the groups B-29s were grounded due to engine fires, which were caused by the engines not being designed to operate at ground temperatures higher than {{convert|115|°F|°C|abbr=on}}, which were typically exceeded in India. Modifications had to be made to the engines and also to the cowl flaps. After these modifications, B-29 flights were resumed.

From India, the 444th Bomb Group planned to fly missions against [[Japan]] from airfields in [[China]]. [[Kwanghan Airfield]] (A-3), located just to the southwest of [[Chengdu]] in south-central China, was designated as the forward staging base for the group.

However, all the supplies of fuel, bombs, and spares needed to support operations from Kwanghan had to be flown {{cvt|1200|mi}} from India over ''"[[The Hump]]"'' (the name given by Allied pilots to the eastern end of the [[Himalayan Mountains]]), since Japanese control of the seas around the Chinese coast made seaborne supply of China impossible. Many of the supplies had to be delivered to China by the B-29s themselves. For this role, they were stripped of nearly all combat equipment and used as flying tankers and each carried seven tons of fuel for the six-hour (one-way) flight, which itself was almost at the limit of the B-29's range. ''The Hump'' route was so dangerous and difficult, that each time a B-29 flew from India to China it was counted as a combat mission. It took six round-trip flights by each Superfortress to Kwanghan in order to mount one combat mission from the forward base.

The first combat mission by the group finally took place on 5 June, when squadrons of the group took off from India to attack the Makasan railroad yards at [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]. This involved a {{cvt|2261|mi}} round trip, the longest bombing mission yet attempted during the war.

Difficulties encountered at Chharra forced the unit to move to [[Dudhkundi Airfield]] on 1 July 1944, leaving Chharra to become a transport base for [[Tenth Air Force]]. [[C-87 Liberator Express|C-87 Liberators]] and [[C-46 Commando]]s flew from Chharra into China to support the XX Bomber Command forward bases as well as to the [[Air Transport Command (United States Air Force)|Air Transport Command]] depot at [[Barrackpore]], picking up supplies. In June 1945, the last Americans left the base, turning it over to the British colonial government.

The post-war history of the airfield is unclear; however, today it is long abandoned. No structures remain though traces of runways and taxiways can be viewed from the air. Some small villages appear to have taken over the former billeting areas.

In the present century, the airfield has been considered to be rebuilt and redeveloped to make it a commercial airport and handle passenger traffic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Basu |first=Pritesh |date=2018-01-20 |title=Bengal govt looking to bring back Chharra airfield in Purulia |url=https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/bengal-govt-looking-to-bring-back-chharra-airfield-in-purulia-280620 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Millennium Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chanda |first=Aishik |date=21 January 2018 |title=Despite 'deserted' airports, Mamata Banarjee plans to revive WWII airbase - The New Indian Express |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/Jan/21/despite-deserted-airports-mamata-banarjee-plans-to-revive-wwii-airbase-1760450.html |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

==Revival==
To improve socio-economic development, tourism and connectivity in the western part of West Bengal, the airfield was considered to be revived and redeveloped as a commercial airport to operate passenger traffic in the early 2010s, and was cleared by the [[Government of West Bengal]] in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Basu |first=Pritesh |date=2018-01-20 |title=Bengal govt looking to bring back Chharra airfield in Purulia |url=https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/bengal-govt-looking-to-bring-back-chharra-airfield-in-purulia-280620 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Millennium Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chanda |first=Aishik |date=21 January 2018 |title=Despite 'deserted' airports, Mamata Banarjee plans to revive WWII airbase - The New Indian Express |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/Jan/21/despite-deserted-airports-mamata-banarjee-plans-to-revive-wwii-airbase-1760450.html |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref> The airfield covers an area of 600 acres, out of which about 300 acres will be used to develop the airport, in which at the first phase of the development project, a flying institute will be built at an area of 25 acres with a runway. The second phase will expand the airport at an area of 272 acres, consisting of a passenger terminal, a runway, an [[Air Traffic Control]] (ATC) tower and ancillary facilities and services, which could be acquired easily because the airfield is mostly free of encroachments. The remaining 28 acres will be acquired later, and the entire land area of about 300 acres will become a part of the airport.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sengupta |first=Sulagna |date=2022-04-15 |title=Bengal to pitch setting up of flying institute in Purulia at BGBS |url=https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/bengal-to-pitch-setting-up-of-flying-institute-in-purulia-at-bgbs-474459 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Millennium Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Basu |first=Pritesh |date=2018-01-20 |title=Bengal govt looking to bring back Chharra airfield in Purulia |url=https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/bengal-govt-looking-to-bring-back-chharra-airfield-in-purulia-280620 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Millennium Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=আরও একটি বিমানবন্দর হবে রাজ্যে, খড়গপুর থেকে ঘোষণা মমতার |url=https://eisamay.com/west-bengal-news/midnapore-news/mamata-banerjee-announced-that-airport-will-be-build-in-purulia/articleshow/94226821.cms |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=[[Ei Samay]] |date=15 September 2022 |language=bn}}</ref>

As of February 2023, there is no specific deadline given for the completion of the airport's development project, however, the Government of West Bengal has given an assurance that the work is progressing.<ref>{{cite news|title=CM Mamata Banerjee said that airports at Malda and Purulia are undergoing upgradation|url=https://mobile.twitter.com/ArenaJet/status/1628249740654837763?cxt=HHwWhoDU1eSg2pgtAAAA|work=JetArena|date=22 February 2023|access-date=23 February 2023|language=en}}</ref>

As of March 2023, the airport is under development and will include a dimension measuring {{cvt|2100|m}} in length and {{cvt|45|m}} in width of the existing runway 10/28. However, to handle modern day large commercial and cargo aircraft, it will host a new longer runway which is under evaluation. It will be built at an approx. cost of around ₹300 crore and the date of completion of the project has been set to mid-2025.<ref>{{cite news|title=First airport is being built in Purulia district using British airstrip|url=https://www.sangbadpratidin.in/bengal/first-airport-is-being-built-in-purulia-district-using-british-airstrip/|work=[[Sangbad Pratidin]]|date=20 March 2023|access-date=20 March 2023|language=bn}}</ref>

As of May 2024, RITES takes up consultancy services for the development of Chharra Airport. Two tenders (Tender Ref. No: RITES/AP/Charra//OLS&TOPO/2024 and RITES/AP/Charra/Geo-Tech/2024) for undertaking ''Topographic Survey, Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) Survey and Geo Technical Investigation Work'' for preparation of DPR have been invited for quotation and bidding.[https://www.rites.com/Tenders]

As of November 2025, following a thorough joint inspection by RITES and the Transport Department of the Government of West Bengal, a decision has been taken to initially develop the airport as a small commercial facility at an estimated cost of {{INRConvert|150|c|lk=on|year=2025}}. The first phase will develop a {{Convert|1100|m|abbr=}} runway along with a terminal with a capacity of 160 passengers per day, fire station, an electrical substation, three watch towers, an underground reservoir, and a cooling pit. The phase will upgrade the airstrip to an airport capable to handle 19-seater aircraft operations. Thereafter, during the second phase, the runway will be expanded to {{Convert|1100|m|abbr=}} so that it can operate [[ATR 42]] class aircraft. The airport will facilitate the industrial and tourism sectors of both [[West Bengal]] and [[Jharkhand]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-15 |title=Bengal govt to develop new airport in Purulia, access to several industrial areas in Jharkhand to get easier |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/bengal-govt-to-develop-new-airport-in-purulia-access-to-several-industrial-areas-in-jharkhand-to-get-easier-10367610/ |access-date=2025-11-16 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Operation Matterhorn]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. {{ISBN|0-89201-092-4}}.
* [http://www.444thbg.org/unithistoryinfo.htm 444th Bomb Group Website]

==External links==
{{USAAF 10th Air Force World War II}}
{{USAAF 20th Air Force World War II}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in British India]]
[[Category:Purulia district]]
[[Category:Defunct airports in India]]
[[Category:Airports in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Military airbases established in 1942]]
[[Category:Purulia]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in India]]
[[Category:20th-century architecture in India]]
[[Category:Military airbases closed in 1945]]
[[Category:Airports Authority of India]]

Chharra Airfield - Revision history

KateHinson76890: Done - done