Construction of new civil enclave at Darbhanga airport will begin in 2024: MoCA

The land transfer process was completed at a cost of Rs.342 crore in two instalments in February this year. Presently, the air services are functional at Darbhanga airport from a makeshift civil enclave

The construction of the civil enclave at Bihar’s Darbhanga airport will kick off in July next year, the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) has said, even as the state government transferred 76.40 acres of land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to pave the way for the ambitious project.

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The land transfer process was completed at a cost of Rs.342 crore in two instalments in February this year. Presently, the air services are functional at Darbhanga airport from a makeshift civil enclave.

Gen V K Singh (retired), Union minister of state for civil aviation, informed the Lok Sabha in response to a question from Darbhanga MP Gopal Jee Thakur that the allocated land will be strategically utilised for different purposes.

Singh said that of the total land area, 23.75 acres will be dedicated to the installation of the advanced clear air turbulence (CAT-II) lighting system, which will be overseen by the Indian Air Force (IAF). Additionally, a substantial 52.65 acres will be utilised for the construction of a civil enclave, said Singh.

The Union minister further provided insights into the project’s timeline and the crucial steps that will be undertaken before completion.

Several preliminary works have to be set in motion, including the tendering process to appoint an engineering consultant, preparation of design and drawings, and obtaining approval from the public investment board (PIB), Singh said.

According to Singh, once these initial stages are completed, the engineering procurement contract (EPC) will be awarded to the selected contractor to initiate the airport’s physical construction.

The ministry also said that the estimated completion date for the Darbhanga airport, which is set for September 2026, may subject to potential delays due to various factors.