Purnia/ Patna: The long-awaited launch of flights from Purnia Airport in Bihar may be just weeks away after development commissioner Pratyaya Amrit, who has recently been appointed as next chief secretary of Bihar, directed officials to complete construction works by 30 August.
During a visit to the site on Thursday, Amrit inspected the ongoing works and chaired a high-level review meeting with senior officials, including Airports Authority of India chairman Vipin Kumar, civil aviation ministry secretary Sameer Sinha, Purnia commissioner Rajesh Kumar, district magistrate Anshul Kumar and superintendent of police Sweety Sahrawat.
Officials said air services could begin in the first week of September, though Amrit stopped short of confirming a start date. The timing has fuelled speculation that operations might commence before the announcement of Bihar’s assembly election dates.
The review covered progress on infrastructure and operational readiness, with Amrit issuing “strict instructions” to meet the deadline. “The focus is on ensuring readiness without compromising quality,” one official said.
Purnia, in north-eastern Bihar, has been without commercial air services for decades. The opening of the airport is expected to improve connectivity for the region, benefiting both residents and businesses.
