Patna: Preparatory work for the construction of the passenger terminal at Bihta Airport near Patna has officially commenced, with soil testing beginning on Saturday. The contractor agency has begun mobilising equipment and construction materials, including mixer machines, cranes, trucks, sand, gravel, cement and iron rods. Full-scale construction is expected to begin by the first week of May.
The project, awarded on February 15 to Vozrozhdenii-JSCI—a joint venture between Russian and Indian firms—will see the terminal building constructed at a cost of Rs 459.99 crore. Of this, Rs 438 crore is allocated for construction and Rs 21.99 crore for operations and maintenance. The company has been given a month to prepare resources for the build, which is expected to take two years, with the terminal projected to be operational by April 2027.
Once completed, the terminal will have the capacity to handle 3,000 passengers at a time. The approved plans include not only the terminal building, but also utility corridors, supporting structures, and elevated approach roads. The overall budget for the entire passenger terminal development is pegged at around Rs 1,400 crore.
Initially, there was a delay in starting construction despite the tender being allotted, as the Airports Authority of India had not received the full 116 acres of land required. While 108 acres were handed over earlier, space constraints for parking remained unresolved. The matter was settled on March 7, when the state government provided the remaining eight acres, allowing soil testing to proceed and clearing the way for construction to begin.
In addition to the terminal building, separate tenders will be issued for apron link taxi bays, multi-level car parking, and residential facilities for airport staff. The apron will accommodate 10 parking bays for aircraft types such as A-321, B-737-800, and A-320. Vozrozhdenii-JSCI will also be responsible for the maintenance of the terminal for seven years following completion.
The project also includes plans to extend the existing runway from 8,000 feet to 12,000 feet, enabling the airport to accommodate large aircraft and cargo planes. The state government has agreed to provide 191 acres of land for the extension, although a decision is yet to be taken on whether the land should be acquired on the eastern or western side. Acquiring land to the east would involve the demolition of 154 houses, whereas expansion to the west would affect 246 homes.
