Patna: A tender worth Rs 43.13 crore has been issued for the construction of a runway and associated infrastructure at the under-construction Muzaffarpur airport, in a move the Bihar government says will strengthen regional air connectivity and reduce pressure on existing facilities.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has floated the tender for the project, according to the state’s deputy chief minister, Samrat Chaudhary. He said the development would lessen dependence on Patna and Darbhanga airports while boosting tourism and employment in and around Muzaffarpur.
The proposed works include the construction and strengthening of the runway, taxiway and apron, as well as a perimeter road, ground support equipment (GSE) area, vehicle lanes and an emergency access road. Plans also cover the runway end safety area (RESA), runway basic strip and other related infrastructure required to make the airport capable of handling Code-2B category aircraft.
Officials described the project as a significant step towards linking Muzaffarpur with major cities across the country. Once operational, the airport would become Bihar’s fifth public airport.
Currently, Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport, Gaya International Airport and Darbhanga Airport are operational. Purnia Airport has recently opened, and Muzaffarpur is expected to follow, expanding the state’s aviation network.
Chaudhary said the airport project reflected coordinated efforts between the central government led by Narendra Modi and the Bihar government headed by Nitish Kumar. He described the new airport as a “major gift” to Muzaffarpur and neighbouring districts.
The deputy chief minister also highlighted parallel investments in road and rail infrastructure. He said the state had expanded its road network to villages and urban streets and was now focusing on expressway development. More than Rs 10,000 crore has been allocated for railway development in Bihar, he added.
According to the state government, 14 Vande Bharat and 21 Amrit Bharat trains are currently operating in Bihar. The Varanasi–Siliguri bullet train corridor has also recently received approval, further signalling plans to strengthen multi-modal connectivity across the region.
