Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport is trying to spread wings within its limited space to make it flying-fit.

The airport, which lost its operating licence on June 30, is extending the existing terminal building of the airport by redeveloping the VVIP lounge.

According to sources, the daily footfall at the terminal building is 2,700 against its actual capacity of 700 people. The ongoing expansion is being done to absorb a fraction of the overburdened terminal.

Manohar Lal Lehkra, the regional executive director of eastern region of Airports Authority of India (AAI), told The Telegraph on Friday: “Considering the continuous rise in flow of passengers at Patna airport and shortage of space, we resorted to make a small expansion of the existing terminal by redeveloping the VVIP lounge. The ongoing work is expected to be completed by October end.”

However, sources said the work is mere peanuts when compared to the master plan for the overall expansion of the airport, which is aimed at developing the infrastructure and facilities on a par with most of the international airports across the country.

At present, night parking facility for aircraft is not available at the airport. However, the master plan envisages to extend the aerodrome over 52 acres, along its southern flank between the boundary of the airport and the Howrah-Delhi railway track, to create parking bays for aircraft.

“The land belongs to state animal and fish resources department. It has been a decade since we have been pursuing with the state government to hand over the land,” said a senior Patna Airport Authority officer.

On being asked about the issue, animal and fish resources minister Giriraj Singh said any decision related to Patna airport would be chief minister Nitish Kumar’s discretion. “Any decision on Patna airport is taken by the chief minister. His decision is above all and we are bound to follow it,” said Singh.

The master plan envisages development of a second terminal building over the land occupied by existing IAS Bhavan or the Bihar Flying Institute on the northern side of the existing terminal. Sources said the AAI chairman, V.P. Agrawal, had written to the state government in this regard in 2010 but nothing happened after that.

Sources added that it is because of this “lackadaisical” attitude of the state government regarding the airport expansion, the AAI is now taking measures on its own to sustain the existing passenger flow.

Lehkra added: “Since we did not receive any response from the state government against our proposals for handing over the land, we are now making several arrangements to sustain the passenger flow, including the ongoing expansion over the VVIP lounge. We have also asked the senior officers at Patna airport to co-ordinate with airlines to prevent operation of too many aircraft at once.”

The regional executive director said: “There should be sufficient gap in the arrival and departure of flights so that passengers of not more than three to four flights are at the terminal building at a time. The airlines would also be asked to clear the luggage of the arriving passengers in minimal time after the arrival of flights to avoid overcrowding of passengers. The airlines would be asked to inform the passengers hours in advance in case a flight is delayed. If passengers arrive at the airport, they should be taken out of the security hall. These measures are aimed at preventing overcrowding of passengers as the terminal building has limited space.”

On the other hand, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has held up the renewal of the operating licence of the airport till date.

Lehkra said if the DGCA does not reply to the application sent by the AAI for renewal of licence of an airport within two months then it is deemed to have been granted licence. “However, the DGCA in its communiqué to AAI on July 5 had set a deadline of seven days to remove the obstacles at Patna airport or reduce the length of the runway to the effective length for the licence renewal. Though, I have learnt that the state government is taking “immediate” steps in this regard, technically speaking, the airport is still running without the licence. However, AAI has communicated to the DGCA that steps are being taken from both sides and we expect that soon most obstacles would be removed,” said Lehkra.

Lehkra added that after his July 10 meeting with officials of the environment and forest department, he asked the officers at Patna airport to reduce the number of trees at Patna zoo marked for pruning from 2,917 to around 1,500 to 2,000.