Patna,(BiharTimes): As the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is losing about Rs 1.5 crore every month on its operational cost because of the under-utilization of Gaya international airport efforts are being made to link the town with important metros of the country.

Both the Centre as well as the Bihar government now want increased air operation from Gaya. This is possible by better air connectivity with Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, and Patna from here.

The chief secretary, Ashok Kumar Sinha, is to write to the secretary ministry of civil aviation seeking his help to get more airlines operate scheduled flights regularly from Gaya.

It needs to be reminded that despite being an international airport, Gaya has been reduced to a seasonal airport with a few domestic and international flights operating there only for six months (Oct-March).

According to Secretary Cabinet Secretary Department, Brajesh Mehrotra, the state government is holding talks with AAI to develop Gaya airport to operate more air services to connect metros.

Executive Director, East, of AAI, L M Lekhra, who attended the meeting with the senior officials of the state government last week, was quoted in Hindustan Times as saying: “We have proposed involvement of tourism department to develop air connectivity to different cities from Gaya.”

During the tourist season Thai Airways, Druk Air, Mihin Lanka, Mayanmar Airways, and Air India connect Yangon, Bangkok, Colombo, Paro(Bhutan) and New Delhi via Varanasi.