Bihar is all set to get its fourth airport as Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Purnea airport in the Seemanchal region on Monday. This will be the third such inauguration in Bihar after the new terminal building at Patna airport and the foundation stone laying for a new civil enclave in Bihta near Patna.
To boost air connectivity in the state , the Bihar government had announced plans to develop 15 airports — a significant increase from the current three — at Rs 11,500 lakh, according to the budget presented in the assembly in March.
Deputy chief minister Samrat Chaudhary had said the Purnea airport, a defence airbase, was expected to begin commercial flight operations within three months after the completion of the makeshift terminal building.
IndiGo, Star Air to launch flights to two cities
IndiGo and Star Air have announced the launch of direct flights from Purnea Airport to Bengal’s Kolkata and Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, respectively, on Monday.
In a statement, IndiGo said the airline will operate thrice-weekly flights — on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays — with its ATR (Regional Transport Airplanes) aircraft. This makes IndiGo the first airline to begin commercial operations from Purnea.
According to the schedule, Flight 6E 7924 will depart from Kolkata at 12:30 pm and land in Purnea at 1:40 pm; and the return flight 6E 7925 will depart Purnea at 2:30 pm and arrive in Kolkata at 3:40 pm.
Star Air has also announced its inaugural flight service between Ahmedabad and Purnea on September 15, operating thrice a week.
With assembly elections around and festive season approaching, connectivity becomes an important aspect for Bihar with a high migrant population. Many return homes during Diwali and Chhath Puja, and the launch of new routes will give them more travel options.
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