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Jay Prakash Narayan Airport

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Jay Prakash Narayan Airport (IATA: PAT, ICAO: VEPT) is an domestic airport serving Patna, the capital of Bihar, India.[4] It is named after the independence activist and political leader, Jayprakash Narayan.[5] It is the 15th busiest airport in India.[6][7] To meet demand, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is working to expand and modernise airport infrastructure. The airport is currently undergoing an ambitious expansion project that includes a new two-level passenger terminal, which will be completed by May 2024.[8][9] Patna Airport is enabled with Digi Yatra facility from July 2024, passengers traveling from Patna Airport can avail it for seamless check-in experience and save their time.[10]

Jay Prakash Narayan Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerAirports Authority of India
OperatorAirports Authority of India
ServesPatna, Bihar, India
Elevation AMSL52 m / 170 ft
Coordinates25°35′29″N 085°05′21″E / 25.59139°N 85.08917°E / 25.59139; 85.08917
Map
PAT is located in Patna
PAT
PAT
PAT is located in Bihar
PAT
PAT
PAT is located in India
PAT
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PAT is located in Asia
PAT
PAT
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
07/25 2,072 6,798 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2023 - March 2024)
Passengers3,440,450 (Decrease 8.2%)
Aircraft movements23,740 (Decrease 15.0%)
Cargo tonnage9,165 (Decrease 20.8%)
Source: AAI[1][2][3]

Overview

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The airport currently has one runway with an asphalt surface measuring 2,072 by 45 metres (6,798 ft × 148 ft),[11][12] which makes it not possible for large aircraft to land. The terminal building at the airport is spread across an area of 12,000 square meters and can handle around 2.5 million passengers annually. The waiting areas, as well as departure and arrival areas of the terminal building, have also been expanded recently due to the rising amounts of passengers flying to the airport. Due to the surge in passenger traffic, a new terminal is under construction which will replace the existing terminal.[13]

It is worth mentioning that Patna airport's international air service to Nepal has been closed since the Delhi Kathmandu Indian Airlines Flight 814 was hijacked and taken to Kandahar on 24 December 1999.[14] Since then, Patna airport has remained an international airport only in name.

Future expansion

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Nitish Kumar and Samrat Chaudhary participating in a meeting with officials of Airport Authority of India for expansion of Jay Prakash Narayan Airport Patna.

Due to the sandwiching location between the Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan and Phulwari Sharif railway station, the runway of the airport is too short to accommodate larger aircraft. Because of this, and the rising demand and passenger traffic, the present terminal will not be able to cope with it. So, a new terminal is under construction since October 2018, at a cost of ₹ 12.17 billion (US$1.52 billion). It will have an area of 65,155 sq.m. (previously proposed as 57,000 sq.m.) from 7,200 sq.m. at present, with six aerobridges, and the apron will be able to handle 14 aircraft, which at present can handle only six aircraft. The existing Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower will be demolished once the new tower adjacent to Birla Institute of Technology, Patna campus, becomes operational. The interior design of the terminal will mostly be inspired by Madhubani art, which is a renowned traditional art form of Bihar, and the ruins of the Nalanda University. The design was created by the Singapore-based firm, Meinhardt and is being executed by the Hyderabad-based firm, Nagarjuna Construction Company Limited (NCC). It will be able to serve more than 8 million passengers per year (previously proposed as 4.5 million), as compared to only around 3 million passengers per year at present. Around 13.1 acres of land near the airport is used for its construction, and in lieu of 11.35 acres of land in Anisabad, the airport will be transferred to the Government of Bihar by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), once the expansion works are completed. The area where the terminal is being built had several buildings, which included the Airport Colony and the IAS Bhavan, which are demolished, and utility buildings like the meteorological centre and Bihar Flying Club have been shifted. Once completed, the existing terminal will be demolished to make way for the expansion and revamping of the apron. The new terminal was expected be completed by 2021, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused lack of labour and resulted in many delays, it was supposed to be completed by the end of 2023. As of December 2023, more than 70% of work has been completed, and is expected to be completed by May 2024.[15]

The AAI has planned to develop a civil enclave at the Bihta Air Force Station, 20 km (12 mi) away from Patna, to cater larger aircraft. In October 2016, The Cabinet of Bihar approved the Patna Master Plan, which envisages development of a new passenger terminal at Bihta. The Government of Bihar is acquiring 126 acres of land for construction of the terminal.[16][17][18][19] [7][20][21][22][8][9]

Airlines and destinations

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AirlinesDestinations
Air India Delhi, Mumbai
IndiGo Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Deoghar,[23] Goa–Mopa,[24] Hyderabad, Kochi,[25][better source needed] Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Ranchi
SpiceJet[26] Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai[27][better source needed]

Statistics

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As of 2019-2020 data, Patna airport handled more than 4 million passengers which was the highest ever recorded at the airport before the COVID-19 pandemic.[28] Aircraft movements are currently at 25,501 which also has increased by 18.2% since previous years.[29] Between 2021-22 the Patna Airport also handled 12,409 metric tonnes of cargo which also increased by 4.6% from the previous years.[30] Patna Airport is currently the 14th busiest airport in India in terms of passengers catered by the airport.


Annual passenger traffic at PAT airport. See Wikidata query.

Passenger, Aircraft Movement, and Cargo at Patna Airport (2011-2024)

Year Passengers Change Aircraft Movement Change Cargo (MT) Change Ref
2023–24 34,40,450   8.2% 23,740   15% 9,165   20.8% [1][2][3]
2022–23 37,48,635   26.3% 27,931   9.5% 11,571   6.8% [31][32][33]
2021–22 2,967,681   9.5% 25,501   18.2% 12,409   4.6% [34]
2020–21 2,710,000   40.1% 21,572   30.3% 11,859   3.2% [35]
2019–20 4,525,765   11.4% 30,959   10.2% 12,249   7.1% [36]
2018–19 4,061,900   30.6% 28,087   28.2% 11,435   66.2% [37]
2017–18 3,111,273   47.3% 21,916   41.3% 6,879   4.4% [38]
2016–17 2,112,150   33.3% 15,508   11.2% 6,591   49.3% [39]
2015–16 1,584,013   32.4% 13,947   26.1% 4,414   15.1% [40]
2014–15 1,196,540   14.5% 11,060   11.5% 5,198   7.2% [41]
2013–14 1,044,127   4.1% 9,902   0.7% 4,849   115.4% [42]
2012–13 1,003,169   1.8% 9,972   3.8% 2,251   34.3% [43]
2011–12 1,021,544   21.8% 10,369   8.6% 3,425   4.5% [44]

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 17 July 2000, Alliance Air Flight 7412 crashed near the airport, killing 60 people.[45]
  • On 19 June 2022, SpiceJet Boeing 737 flight SG723 with 185 passengers on-board made an emergency landing at Patna Airport after one of its engines caught fire in a suspected bird hit.[46]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Airport takes big leap..." The Telegraph. 6 May 2016. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Official WebSite of Central Excise and Service Tax, Patna Zone". customspatnazone.bih.nic.in. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Traffic News for the month of March 2019: Annexure-III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. 1 May 2019. p. 3. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Bihta gets bigger wings". The Telegraph. 8 April 2016. Archived from the original on 11 April 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Swanky terminal to replace old airport". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  9. ^ a b Rumi, Faryal (1 May 2022). "Patna: 'New airport terminal building to be ready by December next yr'". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Patna: 'DigiYatra at Patna Airport'". Dainik Bhaskar. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport: Technical Information". Airports Authority of India. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  12. ^ Airport information for VEPT[usurped] from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
  13. ^ "Cabinet OKs Patna master plan, paves way for big bulidings [sic], new airport". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  14. ^ Jha, Ashish (8 July 2024). "Patna Airport: पटना एयरपोर्ट से 24 साल बाद शुरू होगी अंतरराष्ट्रीय उड़ान". Prabhat Khabar (in Hindi). Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  15. ^ Rumi, Faryal (17 December 2023). "New Patna airport terminal bldg by May 2024". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  16. ^ Tripathi, Piyesh (23 August 2018). "Bihta airbase runway: Bihar government unable to give more land for Bihta airbase runway". The Times of India. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  17. ^ Choudhary, Ratnadeep (19 June 2018). "Why Patna airport is a disaster waiting to happen". ThePrint. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  18. ^ Tripathi, Piyush (15 November 2017). "Patna airport set for a makeover in 3 years". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  19. ^ PTI (25 September 2020). "With New Terminal, Patna Airport Will Handle 8 Million Passengers A Year: Aviation Minister". NDTV. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  20. ^ Karmakar, Debashish (26 September 2016). "Bihta: Land identified to make Bihta airport operational for flyers". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  21. ^ Tripathi, Piyush (25 January 2017). "Centre OKs land transfer for airport building expansion". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  22. ^ Raj, Dev (27 November 2018). "Centre clears Rs 1217-cr project for Patna airport". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  23. ^ "INDIGO 1H23 DOMESTIC ROUTES ADDITION SUMMARY – 05MAR23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  24. ^ "IndiGo to commence services from Patna to Goa Mopa and Durgapur in May-2023". CAPA. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  25. ^ "Flight Schedule". IndiGo. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  26. ^ "SpiceJet Flight Schedule". SpiceJet. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  27. ^ "SpiceJet resumes Patna service in October 2024". SpiceJet. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  28. ^ "AAI Passenger Traffic News 2019-2020" (PDF). www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  29. ^ "AAI Aircraft Movements Data 2019-2020" (PDF). www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  30. ^ "AAI Cargo News 2019-2020" (PDF). www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  31. ^ "Annexure III" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  32. ^ "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  33. ^ "Annexure IV" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  34. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2021-2022". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  35. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2020-2021". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  36. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2019-2020". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  37. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2018-2019". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  38. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2017-2018". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  39. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2016-2017". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  40. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2015-2016". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  41. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2014-2015". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  42. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2013-2014". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  43. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2012-2013". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  44. ^ "AAI Traffic News 2011-2012". www.aai.aero. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  45. ^ Accident history for PAT at Aviation Safety Network
  46. ^ "Delhi-bound SpiceJet aircraft's engine catches fire mid-air, makes emergency landing at Patna airport". Times Now. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
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