Patna: A mock evacuation fire drill was carried out at the new terminal building of Patna’s Jayprakash Narayan International Airport this week, as part of the final safety checks ahead of its expected opening in May 2025. The exercise, attended by 85 individuals, was designed to assess the fire department’s preparedness and improve stakeholder awareness around emergency evacuation procedures.
Officials say the drill marks a key step in ensuring the terminal’s operational readiness, as the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) continues its final approval process. Construction of the state-of-the-art terminal is reportedly 99% complete.
Spread across 65,155 square metres, the two-storey terminal is built to manage up to 4,500 passengers during peak hours. It is equipped with 54 check-in counters, five passenger boarding bridges, five conveyor belts, and eight in-line X-ray baggage inspection system (XBIS) machines. The design also reflects Bihar’s cultural heritage, featuring Madhubani paintings and murals of the Bodhi tree, Gautam Buddha, and the Takhat Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib Gurdwara.
To support rising passenger numbers, the terminal includes a G+5 multilevel car parking structure with capacity for 750 vehicles. Once operational, the existing terminal will be demolished to make space for four additional aircraft parking bays—further increasing the airport’s handling capacity.
