By Kavita Sharma
Photo Credit: The Suncity News
Patna, May 19, 2026: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the state’s Civil Aviation Department to review ongoing and proposed aviation projects.
The meeting was held at the ‘Sankalp’ auditorium in the Lok Sevak Awas complex at 1 Anne Marg.
Samrat Choudhary’s government is focusing on airport expansion and the UDAN scheme:
During the meeting, officials presented a comprehensive roadmap covering airport modernization, expansion of air connectivity, strengthening of security infrastructure, and implementation of the UDAN Scheme.
Nilesh Ramchandra Devare, Secretary of Bihar’s Civil Aviation Department, gave a detailed presentation outlining coordination between the state and central government on key aviation initiatives.
Senior officials, including Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, shared inputs on several major projects, including runway extension and capacity enhancement of Patna Airport, upgradation of Darbhanga Airport to international status, development of Ajgaibinath Dham Greenfield Airport Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district, construction of a permanent civil enclave at Purnea Airport, development of airports in Muzaffarpur, Valmikinagar, Saharsa, and Birpur, upgradation of Forbesganj Airport, and inclusion of more airports under the UDAN schemes.
10x air connectivity in 5 years:
Samrat Choudhary stated that Bihar’s civil aviation sector is witnessing rapid growth and emphasized the government’s ambitious goal of increasing air connectivity tenfold over the next five years.
“Our objective is to expand air connectivity across all districts. A comprehensive plan must be implemented for modernization, security, and inclusive development of airports,” he said.
Vision to make Bihar a regional aviation hub:
Choudhary stressed the need to fast-track the expansion of Patna Airport and assured full cooperation to the central authorities.
He noted that granting international status to Darbhanga Airport would significantly enhance global connectivity.
Samrat Choudhary also highlighted that improved air connectivity would boost tourism, accelerate economic activities, and generate employment opportunities, positioning Bihar as a key aviation hub in eastern India.
The meeting was attended by top officials, including Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Principal Secretary to the CM Deepak Kumar, Airport Authority of India Chairman Vipin Kumar, and other senior bureaucrats from both the state and central governments.
EOM.
