In a recent cabinet meeting of the Bihar government, Minister Sanjay Jha expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing neglect of infrastructure at Darbhanga Airport and directed criticism towards the Central Government. Jha, a close associate of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, highlighted the issue once again on social media, stating that at Darbhanga Airport, rent soars sky-high while planes wait on the ground for fog to dissipate.
Jha, who has previously expedited the process through several requests, revealed that he had met with Central Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on October 3, 2022, in New Delhi. During the meeting, he emphasized the swift progress of acquiring land for the establishment of night landing facilities and the construction of a civil enclave at Darbhanga Airport. Jha urged for the initiation of tender processes and other preparations without delay, ensuring no delays in construction after the transfer of acquired land by the state government.
Despite the land transfer, no progress has been observed in the work, leading to Jha’s frustration. He disclosed that the Bihar government had allocated over 342 crores, transferring approximately 78 acres to the Airport Authority of India months ago. Jha emphasized that despite the allocation for the airport’s development, tender processes and other preparations have not been initiated, causing inconvenience for travelers at Darbhanga Airport.
Addressing the delay in establishing night landing facilities, Jha requested immediate action to commence tender processes and other preparations to avoid further delays in construction after the state government’s land transfer. He expressed disappointment that despite expectations, the establishment of night landing facilities was anticipated to begin in 2023 before the onset of fog season but is still pending in 2024.
Moreover, Jha raised concerns about the soaring airfares, tagging the Ministry of Civil Aviation, AAI, and Darbhanga Airport in his social media posts. He emphasized that even after his previous discussions with Scindia, the airfares have continued to rise, deterring common people from opting for air travel. The issue has resulted in reduced footfall at Darbhanga Airport, with people opting for train travel due to the exorbitant flight costs. Jha’s persistence on social media aims to draw attention to the struggles faced by travelers and prompt necessary actions from the authorities.
In related news, all flights from Darbhanga are reportedly delayed for hours due to dense fog, and concerns are growing over the airport’s overall functionality. The situation has sparked renewed debates on the need for prompt actions to address the challenges faced by Darbhanga Airport and its passengers.
