Gaya airport to be developed as govt refuses land for Patna

15/08/2010

Patna,(BiharTimes): With Patna’s Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport unable to get more land the Airport Authority of India has shifted its attention to Gaya International Airport, which is situated only five kilometres away from the pilgrim town of Bodh Gaya.

The Gaya International Airport, nearly four times bigger than the Patna airport is likely to be developed as a standby to the Kolkata airport to divert planes in case of any problem at the Kolkata airport.

The decision follows the Nitish Kumar government’s refusal to provide land for a new airport at Patna.

Patna airport has 254 acres of land while Gaya 954 acres and the process for acquiring another 100 acres of land for the runway expansion is in an advanced stage. Another 100 acres of land of the Gaya airport is under encroachment, which needs to be removed.

Gaya district magistrate Sanjay Kumar, was quoted in a report in the Times of India as saying that land from four different revenue villages are being acquired for the runway expansion and the acquisition process for two of the four revenue villages has already been completed.

According to the report facilities for simultaneous handling of 500 passengers (250 incoming and 250 outgoing) have already been developed at the Gaya airport. Once, phase II of the airport development plan is executed, the passenger handling capacity of the Gaya airport will further go up.

After the runway expansion, the Gaya airport will be in a position to facilitate landing and takeoff of bigger aircraft like Airbus 320 and Boeing 737.

Gaya airport has 7,500-ft runway and unlike Patna has further capacity to expand. In Patna, extension of runway on either side is not feasible due to the location of railway tracks on one side and the Patna secretariat tower on another. The effective length of the runway at the Patna airport is 6,340 feet.

But for Patnaites and passengers of adjoining districts of north Bihar Gaya airport would mean further travelling of 120 kms by both road and railway. True the doubling of Patna-Gaya railway line may reduce the timing but still it would be far away from Bihta, which is only 42 km from Patna, where there is an air force base. Earlier, there was plan to shift the Patna airport to this base.

As the Bihar govt is unable to provide land to the AAI,so what Mr,Nitish kumar is claiming to Bihar a developed state in 2015.We wish his future plans but not at the cost of vote bank,surrounding the current air port is in critical condition for landing and take off.

Historically Bihar was a better state in early 1950.If the airport is shifted to Bihta the air base,it will be good for state and others business community and tourism too.All biharis should push hard the current C M to do somthing in this regard.

More than million Biharis are living round the world particularly in middle east. Patna need international airport but unfortunately as usual
our Bihari leaders have not interest to provide this facility. Our leaders are used to listen after Dharna and other means of protest. Haji pur
could be a good option too.

M.Naushad
Riyadh, KSA

There was a line in Former PM of Bharat, Mrs. (Late) Indira Gandhi’s 20-point program – “Door Drishti, Pakka Iraada”. It was inspiring to many amongst us, but at the same time it was quite confusing. “Iraada” for what?? Corruption, casteism or politics.

The neighborhood of present Patna Airport is surrounded by “Evil Bank of Vote”. In general, no one has guts to touch or relocate these banks whether it is near Patna Airport or Santacruz Airport of Mumbai. People from weak and meek society either don’t know, do or participate in any revolutionary change. That is why we have messed up with international event like Common Wealth Games and is one such example of our weakness. Everyone is engaged in messing up everywhere, but one always tend to exclude. Each activity we do is stringed to prestige and power. Expanding existing Airport at Patna is not going to affect assembly results of 239 seats but it may affect Phulwarisharif and creates ripple for other seats. That is why we keep calling spade a spade in this form - “Badka-badka khali Hawa chodne se thode na kuchh hoga… ee Bihar hai”, and hears regularly from other side on phone. We want to keep everyone happy, that is why no one is happy – whether it will be a Patna Airport or Gaya Airport or shifting Airport to Bihta. We don’t know or carry will power of improving the existing system technically. That is why “Peepli Live” decorates our life in general, whether it remains confined in rural hinterland, or posh urban neighborhood in India or abroad. Very Sad….

It is heart breaking that Bihar Govt has refused to acquire land for Patna airport.
Someone needs to enlighten the state govt the importance of a proper international airport for a landlocked state like Bihar. When I was in Patna recently for my Kanwar Yatra, I saw four 737 / 320 type aircrafts at the tarmac simultaneously. The hall was chock a block with people. Earlier, we had read report by AAI that at 60% growth, Patna was the fastest growing airport in India. Three to four years back, a Mumbai - Patna - Mumbai flight used to cost more than a Mumbai - London - Mumbai flight. Now, with economy flights like IndiGo and Kingfisher Red, the same round trip costs an affordable Rs 7,000. Contrary to what many believe, the people residing outside Bihar are not necessarily indigent people who travel in unreserved bogies of Indian Railways. Why, even blue collared workers working in Dubai (and there are thousands from Siwan) need a flight to travel in comfort. The airport is also needed for trade, commerce and tourism.
Obviously, this 257 acre facility has run out of space to handle more traffic. Comparatively smaller states like Karnataka and AP have huge international airports and are much the richer for those. Even neighboring UP has a fairly large one at Lucknow (1186 acres) and the one at Varanasi at 582 acres is double to Patna. Ranchi in Jharkhand, again though small, at 546 acres is twice the size at Patna. It handles only a fraction of the traffic of Patna.
Land acquisition can be done at market price. As a matter of fact, the land acquisition for an airport can be done at a price higher than market price since the economics of a fast gorwing airport like Patna will definitely be able to afford it.
I dont know how, but we need to create huge pressure on the Govt of Bihar to take up the issue of land for an airport in a major way.