The formal operating licence for Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport is all set to come soon - after a wait of almost four years.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials in Patna on Thursday sent a report to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on the steps taken over the past three years on removal of obstacles on the aircraft approach funnel and other issues related to aviation safety norms.

Expressing strong reservation against tall trees and several other obstacles, including cellphone towers, around Patna airport, the DGCA had held back the operating licence of the airport on June 30, 2012.

"A final application comprising comprehensive action-taken report was submitted to the DGCA last week but they asked for some supporting documents. The required documents were sent by an aircraft on Thursday," said Rajendra Singh Lahauria, airport director.

A senior AAI official at Patna airport said: "Most corrective measures sought by the DGCA for Patna airport have been taken over the past three years. We expect that the operating licence would now be issued very soon."

On operation of flights at Patna without operating licence in the past several months, airport director Lahauria said: "There are a few airports in the country, which have no operating licence from the DGCA at present. However, that does not mean that we are not following aviation safety guidelines. All airports in the country, including Patna, are running under the DGCA control and according to guidelines prescribed by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Operating licence, on the other hand, is based on certain recommended practices given as annexure in the ICAO guidelines. If an airport is in the process of complying with those recommended practices, then it is exempted by the DGCA for issuance of operating licence. Besides, our application for the licence is under the DGCA consideration as of now."

Following the non-renewal of operating licence for Patna airport by the DGCA in June 2012, the AAI had issued a notice to airmen (Notam) on August 3 the same year, as per which the applicable length of the runway was reduced to such an extent to allow only smaller aircraft like ATR and Bombardier CRJ among others to operate. Later, the AAI, through another notification dated November 28, 2012, said runway restrictions would not come into effect till further orders.

On the Patna zoo premises, at least 594 trees, considered most critical for operations of aircraft were pruned within a couple of weeks of the August 2012 Notam. Another 206 trees up to the height of 3m to 20m on Circular Road, Tailor Road, Strand Road, McDonald Road and Shahid Peer Ali Khan Path were pruned.