Bihar Cabinet Approves Five New Airports, Nine Heliports Across State

The Bihar government has approved a plan to develop new airports in five districts and heliports at nine locations to improve regional air connectivity across the state. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held on 12 October, chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.

Under the proposal, airports will be developed in Kishanganj, Chapra and Begusarai. The plan also includes an airport at Forbesganj in Araria and at Sabeya in Gopalganj. These projects are intended to expand air connectivity to different parts of Bihar and improve access to nearby cities.

The government has also proposed heliports in Aurangabad, Banka, Jamui, Katihar, Khagaria, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Begusarai and Sitamarhi. This will take the total number of proposed heliport locations to nine.

According to the government, the projects will be taken forward under the public-private partnership, or PPP, model. The state government will bear 25 percent of the project cost.

The plan also includes free pickup and drop facilities between the airports and heliports and nearby cities. The government said this facility is part of the plan to make the proposed air connectivity more accessible to people in the surrounding areas.