Patna: Private sector low-cost airlines IndiGo and SpiceJet have expressed interest in tapping the Darbhanga airport, located around 150km northeast of the state capital, to start flight operations to New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
They have put in tender bids, and services could start within six months if everything goes well.
"Civil flight operations from Darbhanga airport can start in six months as part of the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme to develop regional airports and flight connectivity launched by the Centre," deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said on Wednesday.
"Two airlines - IndiGo and SpiceJet - have put in bids to start flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore from Darbhanga airport. If the government provides land for a terminal building and entrance at the airport, flights could start within six months," Modi added.
The deputy chief minister met Union civil aviation secretary R.N. Choubey and senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials at Bihar Bhawan in New Delhi late on Tuesday evening to discuss various issues pertaining to airports and flights in the state.
Darbhanga has a full-fledged air force base from where fighter and other military aircraft operate. The runway length is over 9,000 feet. Though smaller passenger aircraft could easily operate from it, bigger aircraft such as Airbus 319 and 320 need a runway of at least 9,500 feet for safe landing.
Modi also said that a team of AAI and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials is coming to Patna on January 24 to inspect the Jaya Prakash Narayan International Airport (JPNIA) in the backdrop of the increase in the number of passengers and how to strengthen amenities for them.
The Patna airport has a capacity to accommodate around 600 passengers at a time, including around 200 in the check-in area and 350 in the security hold-up area. Over 8,000 passengers arrive at the Patna airport on a daily basis, which is going to shoot up as the total number of flights is expected to rise to 49 from 37 that operate during the clear weather of summer months.
"The AAI and CISF team will hold a high-level review meeting with the state government and deliberate on issues related to waiting lounge, entrance and security check. Discussions will also be held on how to increase the number of X-ray scanners at the airport," Modi added.
Modi also held discussions with the officials over the new terminal building for the Patna airport. "A new terminal building having a capacity to cater to 45 lakh passengers is going to be constructed at a cost of Rs 803 crore. Its design and project management consultant have been finalised. Very soon bids for executing the project will be finalised and work will start from April this year."
The deputy chief minister added that the state government will very soon handover 108 acres of land acquired for the expansion of the Bihta airport to AAI. Bihta airport is also a base of the air force and there are plans to appoint a project management consultant and then finalise the bids to start work by this year-end.
