Digri Airstrip

Military Demobilization. The airstrip was constructed specifically for World War II operations. With the end of the war in 1945, the stationed American and British military units were withdrawn, and the airfield was deemed surplus to requirements. It was handed back to the local government and subsequently abandoned as it had no civilian purpose at the time.

The site is completely abandoned and in a state of decay. Satellite imagery clearly shows the ghostly outlines of its two intersecting runways, which are now heavily cracked, weathered, and being reclaimed by nature. The area is largely overgrown with dense vegetation and shrubs. Parts of the concrete runways and taxiways are used as informal local roads and pathways by residents of the surrounding villages. Some sections of the former airfield grounds have been converted to small-scale agricultural use.

Digri Airstrip was a significant Allied airbase during World War II, playing a crucial role in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater. It was used extensively by both the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the British Royal Air Force (RAF).

Key operations and units included:
- **USAAF Tenth Air Force:** The airfield was a major base for the 7th Bombardment Group, which operated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. Squadrons from this group, such as the 492d Bombardment Squadron, flew long-range strategic bombing missions from Digri against Japanese supply lines, infrastructure, and troop concentrations in Burma.
- **Royal Air Force (RAF):** The base also served as a vital training facility. It hosted the No. 3 Flying Training School RAF, where pilots were trained for combat operations in the Southeast Asian theater.

Overall, the airstrip was instrumental in supporting the Allied war effort through strategic bombing and by ensuring a steady supply of trained pilots for the region.

There have been speculative discussions and proposals in the past by the West Bengal state government to revive several of the state's abandoned WWII-era airstrips, including Digri. The goal was to boost regional air connectivity, possibly under the Indian government's UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, given the airstrip's strategic location near the industrial city of Kharagpur and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur. However, these plans have not materialized into any concrete action. As of now, there are no active projects or official timelines for the redevelopment or reopening of Digri Airstrip. Its future remains uncertain and dependent on future regional development initiatives.