Purnia airport: ‘North-south’ feud holds up construction

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Union home minister Amit Shah’s remark at his rally at Purnia in Bihar on September 23 that the airport there was almost complete and the ensuing blame game between former allies BJP and JD-U has revealed a peculiar bureaucratic wrangle that has delayed construction work — the Airport Authority of India (AAI) claims that the state government is handing over land for the proposed civil enclave on the northern side of at the existing Indian Air Force (IAF) airport whereas it had sought land on the southern side, in line with future requirement.

The existing IAF airport at Chunapur, 10 kilometres from Purnia town, was built in 1962 for ensuring supplies to the Indian Army during the Indo-China war, but the proposed civil enclave is nowhere near completion, though it has been an old demand and social media campaigns have also been run for this.

When the project was selected in the Centre’s regional air connectivity scheme UDAN, hopes were ignited for operation of civil fights. However, that is yet to materialise.

Asked for his comment on the issue, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar told reporters on Wednesday that the land had been provided for the airport in Purnia. “The decision for the airport development in Purnia was taken long back and land has been acquired for the purpose. Whatever more needs to be done will be done. When we go there, we will see further requirements,” he said.

However, former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said the AAI had sought land on the southern side of the airport, but the Bihar government had provided 50 acres on the northern side, which does not have a connecting road. “If the government insists on the acquired land, It will have to be connected with a four-lane road for execution to start. Bihar needs proactive approach like other states to make the most of it. Playing politics will not do any good to the state,” he said.

Modi referred to a letter from AAI chairman Sanjeev Kumar, dated July 14, 2022, in response to the Bihar government’s June 27 letter regarding takeover of 52.18 acres of land acquired for the proposed civil enclave at Purnia airport.

“It is informed that the AAI had requested the Bihar government, through a latter dated December 23, 2016, for 50 acres of land as per the enclosed map, indicating location and profile of the required land. However, it has been observed that the acquired land does not match the plan forwarded by the AAI. The requested land is on the northern side of the runway while the acquired land is on the southern side. It will have limitations,” Modi said, quoting from the letter from the AAI chairman.

According to Modi, the AAI chairman further wrote that ultimate passenger handling capacity planned for the norther side land parcel was six million per annum with two level terminal buildings, whereas the acquired land, being closer to runway, will eliminate the possibility of two-level terminal building and reduce the passenger capacity to 2.5 million per annum.

“It can saturate by the next decade. Two-level terminal, with departure on upper level and arrival on lower level, is functionally more efficient. Besides, the profile of acquired land will limit city side planning due to shorter width and offset, while the length runs parallel to the runway,” Modi said, quoting from the letter.

Sanjeev Kumar said in the letter that the north side location being closer to existing road from state highway 65 to Air Force station could have easier connectivity to the civil enclave, while the acquired land would need a longer connecting road. “If the state government is of the opinion that the civil enclave may be constructed on the acquired land, it is requested to provide four-lane connectivity to the civil enclave before start of execution,” he said in the letter.

The state government, on the other hand, has stuck to the acquired land, saying the AAI wanted change of land at the stage of handing over of the acquired land. “The AAI kept mum when the acquisition process was on. Now the acquired land needs to be taken over to start construction activity. The state government is ready to provide necessary connectivity to the national highway as indicated by the AAI,” said the reply from the state government, according to a senior official who did not wish to be identified.

During his Purnia rally, Shah had said that the airport there was almost complete and people of 12 adjoining districts would get cheap air tickets to fly to Delhi and Mumbai without having to travel to Patna or Bagdogra.

Meanwhile, BJP member of Parliament (MP) Vivek Thakur alleged that expansion of Bihta airport has remained stuck due to delay in second phase of land acquisition for over two and half years.

Thakur said an important yardstick for a progressive state is the number of airports there and of which category. “Due to indifference of the Bihar CM, the category-3 international airport at Bihta and other airports under the UDAN scheme remain incomplete,” he said.


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