The cash-strapped state government is coughing up crores to a Delhi-based private agency for hiring an aircraft though it’s lying unused at Behala Flying Club ground since 24 March when lockdown exercise was implemented in the country owing Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2016, the Trinamul Congress government had hired the aircraft on a five- year contract for the exclusive use of the chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee. Sources in the state transport department at Paribahan Bahan said that the government pays around Rs 70 lakh every month to the Delhibased agency since the agreement was made with the company during September-October in 2016.

According to the agreement, the twin-engine aircraft with a minimum seating capacity for seven passengers will have to fly a maximum of 75 hours every month at around Rs 70,000 per hour.

“But the aircraft is lying unused at the Behala Flying Club ground since the lockdown was imposed in the state during the end of March. It was used only on 22 May when the Prime Minister along with the Governor and the chief minister made an aerial survey in the Amphan battered districts like South and North 24 Parganas,” the sources said.

The chief minister frequently used to visit districts in the north and south Bengal to attend administrative meetings and other government programmes before the lockdown. But all these events have been put on hold for an indefinite period because of the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the state.

“As per the agreement, we have to pay the charges to the company even if the aircraft is not used. There are so many vehicles hired by different government agencies on a contract basis lying unutilized because of the same reason for the pandemic. But charges for these vehicles are also being paid by the government,” Dipak Gupta, director of the Flying Club, told The Statesman.

After coming to power for the second time in 2016 in the state the transport department had decided to hire a plane on a long-term lease to ensure the swift movement of the chief minister, especially during her visits to remote districts for administrative purposes.

“Train or road journey from Kolkata to north Bengal is not only time-consuming, and exhausting, but also often leads to delays in the chief minister’s schedules. Besides, road journeys involve security risks too. A dedicated aircraft for her solves all these problems,” a senior government official said.

The Bengal government, however, never had a civil aviation department till 2011 as the previous Left Front government considered obtaining an aircraft deviation from the policy of frugality.