Patna: Bihar government has prepared a roadmap to acquire approximately 7,373 acres of land for proposed greenfield airports at Sonpur in Saran district and in the Bhagalpur-Munger region, with the government planning to prioritise direct purchases from landowners.
The government will first seek to purchase the required land directly from raiyats (landowners). The Land Acquisition Act will be invoked if a consensus cannot be reached or in other necessary circumstances.
The process has begun, and a consultancy agency is to be formally selected to assist with the land purchase and related procedures.
Sonpur Airport To Require 4,228 Acres
Around 4,228 acres are proposed to be acquired in Saran district for the Sonpur greenfield airport. The identified land covers 26 mauzas (revenue villages) across the Sonpur and Dariyapur blocks.
Approximately 14,224 landowners and their corresponding land records, known as jamabandis, are associated with the project.
A significant portion of the identified land is currently used for agriculture, including paddy cultivation. The area also includes inhabited settlements, orchards and other structures, as well as stretches within the diara riverine belt.
Bhagalpur-Munger Airport Needs 3,145 Acres
The proposed Bhagalpur-Munger airport will require around 3,145 acres, covering approximately 14 mauzas and involving about 12,000 landowners.
The identified areas span the Bhagalpur-Munger region, including Bhagalpur Sadar, Sultanganj, Munger Sadar, Tarapur and Bariarpur blocks.
As with the Sonpur project, the land purchase will be carried out under the Bihar Raiyati Land Purchase Policy, 2020.
Land Prices To Be Determined By Committees
The respective raiyati land purchase committees and the competent authority will determine the prices to be paid to landowners.
The consultancy agency’s role will be limited to assisting with the process; it will not decide the compensation or purchase amount payable to landowners.
The government will resort to statutory land acquisition if direct negotiations fail to achieve a consensus or if other circumstances make it necessary.
Special Land Survey Underway
A special land survey is being conducted in phases across the areas identified for both airports.
The survey will cover different categories of land, including agricultural fields, inhabited areas, orchards, existing structures and land in riverine diara belts.
The proposed airports form part of Bihar’s efforts to expand air connectivity through new greenfield aviation infrastructure. The next steps include the formal selection of a consultancy agency and progress on the land purchase process.
