Purnia: Purnia is getting ready for a major change in transport facilities as both air services and the Vande Bharat Express train are set to begin in September. Bihar’s deputy chief minister, Samrat Chaudhary, announced that bookings for flights from Purnia airport will start on 1 September. The construction work at the airport is expected to be completed by 5 September, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially inaugurate the airport and launch flight operations on 15 September.
On Friday, the deputy chief minister visited the airport site along with Union minister Lallan Singh, JDU national executive president Sanjay Jha and state minister Leshi Singh. The leaders reached Purnia by helicopter from Patna and directly inspected the construction work at the airport. Chaudhary reviewed the progress with officials from the district administration and the Airport Authority of India, instructing them to complete all pending work before the deadline. He made it clear that everything should be ready before the prime minister’s visit.
Senior officials, including principal secretary S Siddharth, development commissioner Pratyay Amrit, DGP Alok Kumar, DM Anshul Kumar and SP Sweety Sahrawat, were also present during the review meeting. The team looked into arrangements for parking, road connectivity and passenger facilities. Leaders raised questions over some estimates and directed officials to improve the quality of work to ensure smooth operations once the airport opens.
Along with the airport, Purnia will also see the start of a Vande Bharat Express train connecting the city to Patna from 15 September. The train will be flagged off by Prime Minister Modi on the same day as the airport inauguration. Deputy CM Chaudhary further said that efforts are being made to extend the train service up to Jogbani, which could strengthen travel and trade in the border region.
For the people of Purnia and nearby districts, the launch of air services and the high-speed train is being seen as a milestone. These projects are expected to make travel faster and more convenient, while also boosting business, education and healthcare opportunities in the region. Officials believe the new connectivity will bring Purnia closer to the rest of Bihar and the country.
