Bihta Airport

Bihta Airport is a new airport development project for Bihta, in the district of Patna, Bihar state, India. The airport is being proposed as the current Patna Airport is restricted in its ability to expand. Airports Authority of India (AAI) is seeking 600 acres for the first phase of the project and 790 acres for the second phase. The government plans to establish Bihta Airport as a complementary facility to Patna.

Aug-2024. India's Ministry of Civil Aviation approved Airports Authority of India's proposal to construct a 66,000sqm terminal at Bihta Airport. The terminal will initially have capacity to handle five million passengers p/a, with plans to expand to accommodate 10 million passengers p/a in the future. The project is designed to address anticipated saturation of capacity at Patna Airport, and includes the construction of an apron with 10 aircraft parking bays.

Jul-2024. India's Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarupu announced the Government plans to invest INR14.13 billion (USD168.43 million) towards the construction of Bihta Airport.

Feb-2022. India's Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) reported Airports Authority of India (AAI) is seeking 191.5 acres from Bihar's Government to undertake runway extension and approach lighting installation works at Bihta Airport. MoCA stated "In case of non availability of land, the State Government needs to identify an alternate site for construction of a Greenfield airport meeting the requirements for operation of international flights".

May-2019. Airports Authority of India (AAI) expects to receive a detailed project report (DPR) for the Bihta Airport development project by the end of May-2019. The AAI plans to develop a two storey passenger terminal facility with capacity to handle up to 2.5 million passengers p/a at Bihta, as well as 15 aircraft parking bays.

Nov-2018. Patna Airport director Rajendra Singh Lahauria reported Airports Authority of India (AAI) has completed preliminary design works for the development of passenger terminal facilities at Bihta Airport. Mr Lahauria said the AAI aims to commence works to develop Bihta in early 2019, with the aim of commissioning the airport by 2022.

May-2018. Patna Airport director Rajender Singh Lahauria reported Patna district administration acquired and transferred 108 acres to Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the development of a civil enclave at Bihta Airport.

Mar-2018. Patna Airport director Rajendra Singh Lahauria reported Airports Authority of India (AAI) aims to commence construction of a boundary wall around the site of its planned civil enclave at Bihta Airport by May-2018. Mr Lahauria said the AAI is expected to commence construction of a passenger terminal at Bihta in 2019.

Dec-2017. Airports Authority of India announced plans to invest INR8 billion (USD124.3 million) to develop a new passenger terminal at Bihta Airport. Construction is scheduled to commence in Sep-2018, pending land acquisition and the terminal is expected to have capacity of five million passengers p/a.

Mar-2017. India's Patna district administration commenced groundwork for runway extension at Bihta Airbase, which is expected to launch commercial operations after the construction of its civil enclave Bihta Airport. Airports Authority of India will likely commence construction of Bihta Airport from mid-2017 to be ready by mid-2019. 

Feb-2017. India's Patna district administration will likely commence land acquisition process for Bihta Airport in early Feb-2017. Mr Agarwal advised land acquisition would be completed by Jul/Aug-2017. The airport will be constructed on 108 acres of land, including 18 acres for proposed facilities including an airport lounge, hotel and a hangar. The project is estimated to cost INR5 billion (USD74 million) and will take two years to be completed. 

Dec-2016. Bihta Airport's 120 acre land acquisition process is expected to commence from Jan-2017. The project is estimated to cost INR5 billion (USD73.7 million) over two years. Airport Authority of India confirmed a "survey of the land to be acquired has been completed" in addition to the proposed enclave design which will "be a two-storeyed structure equipped with aerobridges and other modern amenities". Bihta airbase has a 2500m runway. 

Nov-2016. India's Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar approved 126.41 acre land acquisition for the Bihta Airport project, where 108 acres will be handed to Airports Authority of India (AAI) free of costs. 

Sep-2016. India's Patna district administration submitted a plan to the Bihar Government coordination department, after identifying 126 acres of land at Vishambharpur and Kutlupur for the Bihta Airport project. Land acquisition is expected to cost INR2.6 billion (USD39 million), according to DGCA Bihar State special secretary Capt Deepak Kumar Singh. He said Patna Airport would remain "functional for selected domestic flights and Bihta airport will be used for international flights and bigger aircraft".

Apr-2016. Bihar Government agreed to construct a new terminal at Patna Airport in the first phase of upgrading its development and shifting an Air Force base in Bihta where the Bihar government will acquire 70 acres of land for its second phase. The Government of India will invest INR12 billion (USD180 million) in terminal construction at Patna Airport and the proposed airport. The Bihar government will provide 10 acres of land near Patna Airport for Airports Authority of India to build a terminal with a handling capacity of 3 million passengers p/a.