Patna: Tourism in Bihar is gradually moving beyond conventional sightseeing, with visitors now getting an opportunity to experience the state capital from the sky. Patna Heli Joyride, launched under the state’s heli tourism initiative, is attracting interest among residents and tourists. According to officials, 476 bookings have been made so far, while 360 people have experienced the helicopter ride.The joyride offers aerial views of Patna’s roads, historical landmarks and the Ganga river, providing passengers with a different perspective of the city. Officials said the changing landscape of the state capital and the flow of the Ganga can be viewed during the flight.The service has particularly attracted families, young people and those flying in a helicopter for the first time. For many passengers, the ride offers an opportunity to experience air tourism in Bihar.As part of the recently launched ‘Mukhyamantri Bihar Heli-Tourism and Air Tourism Service Scheme 2026’, the state govt introduced weekend helicopter joyrides from July 15 to promote tourism. Passengers can view major attractions from the air at a subsidised fare of Rs2,100 per person. The service is being managed jointly by the tourism department and the state civil aviation department.Tourism minister Kedar Prasad Gupta said the Heli Joyride was giving tourists an opportunity to experience Bihar’s beauty from a different perspective. He said the growing interest indicated the potential for experience-based tourism in the state. The govt, he added, was seeking to make Bihar more attractive to tourists from across the country and abroad by connecting tourist destinations with modern facilities and new experiences.The joyride service operates exclusively on Saturdays and Sundays. Flights begin at 3pm, with departures scheduled at 30-minute intervals to accommodate multiple batches of passengers.Four separate rides are conducted on each operational day, allowing different groups to experience Patna from above. Each joyride lasts 10 minutes and provides an aerial view of the state capital and its surrounding landscape.For safety, comfort and compliance with aviation requirements, the helicopter has a restricted capacity of five passengers per flight.
