Bihar: Darbhanga Airport Mismanagement Sparks Minister’s Critique of Central Government

DARBHANGA – Sanjay Jha, a minister in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet, has unleashed a scathing critique against the central government for what he perceives as the mismanagement of Darbhanga Airport in Bihar. Taking to his social media handle, he highlighted several concerns and questioned the central government’s handling of the situation.

Jha’s post read, “This is Darbhanga Airport. Fares here skyrocket, planes wait for the fog on the ground to clear!” The minister further detailed his efforts to address the issues, stating, “I met Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in New Delhi on October 3, 2022, and conveyed that the process of acquiring land for the establishment of night landing facilities and the construction of a civil enclave at Darbhanga Airport is progressing rapidly.”

Expressing his concern, Jha urged the central government to expedite the tender process and other preparations for the proposed facilities. He emphasized the importance of initiating these steps promptly to prevent any delays in construction after the transfer of the acquired land by the state government.

Jha apprised Scindia that the state government had handed over approximately 78 acres of land, acquired at a cost exceeding Rs 342 crore, to the Airport Authority of India in two installments months ago. He expressed disappointment, stating, “We were hopeful that at least the night landing facility would be set up before the fog season starts in 2023! But, fog continues to wreak havoc on air passengers traveling from Darbhanga Airport even in the year 2024! Until how long?”

The minister’s vocal criticism comes in the wake of numerous challenges faced by passengers at Darbhanga Airport, including flight delays leading to extended waits at the airport.

यह दरभंगा एयरपोर्ट है। यहां किराया आसमान में उड़ता है, विमान जमीन पर कोहरा छंटने का इंतजार करते हैं!

मैंने 3 अक्टूबर 2022 को नई दिल्ली में माननीय केंद्रीय नागरिक उड्डयन मंत्री से मुलाकात कर उन्हें बताया था कि #दरभंगा_एयरपोर्ट पर नाइट लैंडिंग फेसिलिटी की स्थापना और सिविल इन्क्लेव… pic.twitter.com/ev97J906FV

— Sanjay Kumar Jha (@SanjayJhaBihar) January 3, 2024