Namaz Suspended for Three Days at 130-Year-Old Mosque Inside Kolkata Airport

Namaz at the Gouripur Jama Masjid , a more than 130-year-old mosque located within the premises of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport , has been temporarily suspended for three days from Saturday to facilitate renovation work, airport authorities said.

Also known as the Bankra Mosque , the shrine is situated a few hundred metres from the airport's secondary runway . According to an airport official, entry to the mosque for prayers has been halted for two to three days to allow construction and renovation activities to be carried out safely.

The mosque predates the airport by several decades. Built in the late 19th century, it originally served residents of the surrounding Gouripur and Bankra areas. When the airport expanded over the years, the historic mosque became enclosed within the airport's high-security perimeter. Despite its location inside the airport campus, devotees have continued to offer prayers there under a regulated entry system.

The temporary suspension comes amid renewed political debate over the mosque's presence within the airport premises. BJP MLA Sourav Sikdar claimed that the shrine's location has affected the airport's ability to fully utilise its two runways and raised security concerns. He alleged that worshippers entering the mosque do not require airport passes or biometric verification despite it being located in a Level 3 high-security zone .

Sikdar said the airport regularly handles VVIP movements , including those of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister, along with lakhs of passengers, and that his party has raised the issue with the authorities.

Responding to the development, former Trinamool Congress MLA and minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury said the mosque has existed for over 135 years and that discussions with airport authorities regarding its future are ongoing. He maintained that there was no need to suspend namaz while talks were continuing and expressed hope for an amicable resolution.

Airport authorities, however, maintained that the suspension of prayers is solely due to the ongoing renovation work and that access is expected to resume once the construction is completed.