By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The construction of a new airport terminal at Patna airport is paving the way for the commencement of direct flight services to Nepal and other countries such as Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand. This development aims to cater to the large number of Buddhist tourists traveling to Bodh Gaya from these regions.
Notably, Nepal’s international air service has been suspended since the hijacking of Indian Airlines’ Delhi-Kathmandu flight to Kandahar on December 24, 1999. Consequently, Patna airport has remained an international airport in name only for the past 24.5 years.
The new terminal building at Patna airport will include immigration and customs counters, with dedicated spaces for officers and employees on both floors. This will streamline passenger processing when international flights commence. Additionally, the airport will feature six new parking bays and five aerobridges, significantly increasing its operational capacity from 50 to 150 flight pairs per day.
The new terminal building is seven times larger than the current one, spanning 65,000 square feet, and will have a capacity to handle 8 million passengers annually, compared to the 2.5 million capacity of the expanded old terminal. Ramps have been constructed to allow vehicles to directly drop off passengers at the upper floor’s pick-up area. The terminal’s design and aesthetics aim to make it the most beautiful airport in Northeast India.
A seven-storey building has been constructed near the airport’s entry gate for passenger vehicle parking, with the first five floors dedicated to parking. This facility will accommodate 750 four-wheelers. Travelators will be installed to transport passengers from the parking area to the terminal, covering a distance of 200 to 300 meters. Additionally, four lifts will be available for easy access to and from the parking area.
The author is a Patna based journalist
