The government has finally given green light to the expansion of Patna airport and development of an alternative airport for the city, talks for which commenced over a decade ago.

Senior officials in the state civil aviation directorate told The Telegraph on Thursday that chief minister Nitish Kumar had approved the proposal for extension of the Patna airport terminal building and development of the civil enclave at Bihta airbase for international flight operations. Chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh has also sent a formal letter in this regard to the union civil aviation secretary.

The terminal at Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport will be developed into a swanky two-storeyed building equipped with aerobridges.

According to the approval given by Nitish, the state will provide around 13 acres of land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for expansion of the terminal building. The 13 acres belongs to the state hangar, an Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) depot and land owned by Special Task Force (STF) on the southwestern side.

The AAI has already expressed in-principle approval to hand over around 11 acres in Anisabad to the state government in exchange for 13 acres for expansion of the airport terminal building.

Regarding the Bihta airbase, the chief minister has asked state government officials to develop a VIP lounge, a hotel and a hangar as part of the proposed civil enclave. The hotel will be developed to provide an option to fliers to stay back at the proposed airport as it is located around 35km southwest of Patna.

A total of 120 acres will be required to start civil aviation operations from the Bihta airbase of which the India Air Force will give eight acres and the Patna district administration will acquire the remaining 112 acres. Nitish gave his approval on the proposals along with suggestions based on the modalities finalised by senior officials in the state and central governments in their recent interaction.

Senior officials from the Union civil aviation ministry, among them secretary R.N. Choubey, held a meeting with Bihar chief secretary Anjani Singh and several other senior bureaucrats at Patna airport on April 7. Decisions were taken to explore the option of starting commercial flight operations from Bihta airbase and extend the terminal building at the existing Patna airport.

Sources claimed that a file comprising the proposal from the union civil aviation ministry for expansion of the Patna airport and development of a civil enclave at Bihta airbase, along with preliminary reports prepared for the same by the state government, was sent to chief minister's office around a fortnight ago.

A senior official in the state civil aviation directorate said: "The chief minister has given his approval on the file following which an official letter has been sent by the chief secretary to the secretary in the ministry of civil aviation informing them about the state government's decision. The civil aviation ministry will now initiate further proceedings through the AAI, including transfer of land."

Sources said that the buildings of the state hangar and the IOC depot adjacent to the terminal building of the city airport will be demolished to pave way for the extension of the terminal building. The hangar will be shifted next to Bihar Flying club. Three hangars will be developed, two for the state government and one for the flying club.

The civil aviation directorate official said: "The IOC depot will be shifted to the STF land on the southwestern side of the airport, which the state government will hand over. Besides, we will ask the AAI to develop hangars for the state government next to Bihar Flying Club and the expenses for the same will be paid to them."

While Patna airport will be extended and used for domestic flight operations, Bihta airbase will be used for international flight operations.

"The civil enclave will be developed on the southern side of the runway at Bihta airbase. A total of 120 acres will be required to develop it for which the district administration has already submitted a report for acquisition of 100 acres and the Indian Air Force has agreed to transfer another eight acres," said the civil aviation directorate official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to brief the media.

The Indian Air Force has given its consent for utilisation of the runway at Bihta airbase for civil aviation.