Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Bihar on 29 and May 30, to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for a series of infrastructure projects, including the new terminal building at Patna airport. The Prime Minister is expected to make three major announcements in Patna, alongside inaugurating the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi four-lane highway and launching the Stage-2 project of the Navinagar Thermal Power Plant.
According to officials, the new terminal building at Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna is designed to handle up to 10 million passengers annually—an upgrade from the current capacity of 2.3 million. Equipped with 52 check-in counters, five aerobridges, a parallel taxi track, parking for 11 aircraft, and a multi-level car park for 750 vehicles, the facility is expected to significantly ease congestion. The Rs 1,400 crore terminal also features two separate arrival and departure halls.
The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the terminal at Bihta airport. Scheduled for completion by 2027 at a cost of nearly Rs 460 crore, the Bihta terminal will expand runway length from 2,200 metres to 3,700 metres, with a peak-hour passenger capacity of 3,000 and annual handling capacity of 10 million. The plan includes aircraft parking, cargo, and air traffic control (ATC) facilities.
In addition to airport infrastructure, Modi will inaugurate the newly constructed Patna-Gaya-Dobhi four-lane highway on 30 May. Spanning 127 km across Patna, Jehanabad and Gaya districts, the Rs 5,500 crore project aims to reduce travel time between Patna and Gaya to under two and a half hours. Authorities say the final 3.9 km stretch connecting the road to the new bypass is still under construction, including a circular underpass to ease traffic flow.
Also on the agenda is the foundation stone laying of the Stage-2 project of the Navinagar Thermal Power Plant. The Rs 29,000 crore expansion will generate 2,400 MW of electricity, with 1,500 MW allocated to Bihar. Stage One of the plant currently produces 1,980 MW, and Stage Two is expected to be completed by 2027.
Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, DGP Vinay Kumar, and other senior officials are overseeing preparations for the Prime Minister’s visit. With these developments, Bihar’s infrastructure push is set to receive a significant boost ahead of the 2025 state elections.
