Residents of North Bihar waiting for air connectivity from Muzaffarpur will have to wait a little longer. Recent official updates confirm that the airport at Patahi will not be ready for operations in 2026 as previously hoped. The construction work for the runway and terminal building requires a minimum of 15 months to complete properly. Based on the current speed of the tender process, the flights are now expected to start by May 2027.
New Timeline and Tender Details
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has moved forward with the project by releasing tenders in two different phases. The tender for the first phase, which includes the Terminal Building and Air Traffic Control (ATC), is set to open on February 27, 2026. The second phase, covering the runway expansion and other ground infrastructure, will have its tender opening on March 27, 2026.
Once the tenders are opened, the selection of the construction agency will be finalized by April 2026. Actual construction work on the ground is expected to begin in April or May 2026. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary recently confirmed that the tender process has begun, but the technical requirement of 15 months for construction means the airport cannot be ready before mid-2027.
Project Cost and Facilities
The government is spending approximately ₹71-72 crore to redevelop the Patahi Airport under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme. The airport is being designed to handle Code-2B type aircraft, which are small 19-seater commercial planes. There is enough land available for these small planes, but surveys have been done for more land if bigger planes are needed in the future.
Key details of the project budget:
- Phase 1 Cost: ₹28.58 crore for the Terminal Building, ATC Tower, and Fire Station.
- Phase 2 Cost: ₹43.13 crore for Runway strengthening, Taxi-way, and Parking area.
- Terminal Size: A 1,250 square meter pre-fabricated steel building will be constructed.
- Runway Length: The runway will be 1,300 meters long to ensure safe landing and takeoff.
