Patna: Patna’s second airport at Bihta has suffered a major setback, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) initiating steps to terminate the contract of the agency building the passenger terminal after work remained stalled for nearly a year and only about 2% of the project was completed.AAI officials said a show-cause notice has been issued to the contractor and a proposal seeking termination of the agreement has been forwarded to the competent authority. The terminal package, awarded in Feb 2025, is part of the Rs 1,413-crore airport project aimed at easing congestion at Patna airport. It is scheduled for completion by April 2027.“The contractor has failed to make satisfactory progress. A show-cause notice has already been issued and the proposal for termination has been forwarded,” a senior AAI official told this newspaper on Sunday, requesting anonymity.
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According to officials, work on the terminal has remained stalled for nearly a year, with only 1.5% to 2% of the project completed so far. The contract for the terminal building was awarded to a St Petersburg-based Russian company, which officials said failed to execute the project as expected and lacked the required capability for civil works.Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the airport project in May 2025. The package includes the passenger terminal, utility corridors and an elevated approach road. Once operational, the terminal is expected to handle around 3,000 passengers during peak hours.While the terminal project has fallen behind schedule, work on the airport’s airside infrastructure is progressing steadily. Officials said construction of the apron and taxiway, being executed by a Dehradun-based company, has crossed the 40% mark and remains on track for timely completion.The apron, where aircraft are parked for boarding, deboarding, refuelling and maintenance, and the 600-metre taxiway connecting parking bays to the runway, are among the airport’s key operational components. Officials said the contractor handling this package has maintained satisfactory progress.AAI has also awarded a separate contract for an apron capable of accommodating 10 A321, B737-800 or A320 category aircraft, along with two link taxiways and associated electrical infrastructure required before flight operations commence.Being developed within the Indian Air Force station at Bihta, the new civil enclave will spread across more than 100 acres and is expected to significantly strengthen Bihar’s aviation infrastructure. The airport is intended to ease congestion at Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport, which has limited scope for expansion.The overall project is estimated to cost Rs 1,413 crore and includes the passenger terminal, utility complex, taxiway, apron, multi-level car park, approach road and residential colony. Of the total outlay, around Rs 438 crore has been earmarked for the terminal building.The three-storey terminal, comprising a basement, ground floor and first floor, will cover nearly 68,000 sq m. It is planned to have 64 check-in counters, five aerobridges, 10 boarding gates and six baggage claim belts.Its design draws inspiration from Bihar’s Buddhist heritage, with the façade incorporating elements inspired by the Sanchi Stupa through curved structural supports and expansive glass panels. The terminal will also feature VIP lounges, retail outlets, food courts and other passenger amenities. Energy-efficient features are expected to help it secure a five-star GRIHA green building rating, while advanced security systems, including inline baggage screening, will be installed.Once operational, Bihta airport is expected to emerge as a major aviation hub, improving domestic connectivity and paving the way for future international flight operations from Bihar.However, with terminal construction stalled and AAI moving to replace the contractor, officials believe the appointment of a new agency at the earliest will be critical to preventing further delays to one of Bihar’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.
