Patna airport to enhance ops, new parking bays to replace old terminal

Patna: In order to address the growing passenger demands and optimise operational efficiency, city’s Jayprakash Narayan International Airport is gearing up to accommodate more flights.The 50-year-old terminal building, which has now been razed to the ground, has paved way for the construction of state-of-the-art facilities like new parking bays under a modernisation project. The old two-storey structure was not in use for the last three months after operations were shifted to the new swanky terminal, which opened for public on June 3.According to Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials at Patna airport, the development plans involve the construction of new parking bays and redesigning of the existing apron area. This will provide connectivity to the passenger boarding bridges (aerobridge) at the new terminal building and a link between the parallel taxi track (PTT) and apron.According to the AAI officials, it will take about two-three months to complete the ongoing work.Nilesh Ramchandra Deore, special secretary in the cabinet secretariat (with additional charge as director of civil aviation, Bihar), said five new parking bays will be constructed. “Only the parking will be added to the apron area. The PTT has been completed, allowing for better connectivity to the parking bays. This will enhance operational efficiency at Patna airport, saving about a minute or two for aircraft as they won't need to reverse. With the additional parking bays, flights can park overnight and depart early in the morning. This will improve operational efficiency and increase the number of flights. That’s why the state govt has reduced VAT and ATF. Currently, due to limited parking, we can't accommodate more flights, even as there are frequent parking requests,” he said.A new 1,389m track constructed alongside the runway will reduce aircraft time on runway, enabling the airport to handle more flights efficiently. This upgrade will boost the runway’s capacity, allowing quicker turnaround times, minimising ground and air delays, and saving fuel. Passengers will also benefit from shorter wait times before take-off and after landing. It was built last year by utilising funds to the tune of Rs 22 crore, but not commissioned due to obstructions.Air traffic management DGM, Umashankar, said the airport presently has seven parking bays, which will be shifted to connect with the newly constructed PTT. “The apron will be redesigned only after the construction of the five parking bays. The apron will be connected with the remaining four aerobridges and PTT,” he said.After the redesigning of the apron, Patna airport will have 11 parking bays, including nine Code C (A320 and Boeing 737) and two ATR aircraft. Presently, the airport has five aerobridges, of which only one is functional from the new building. The total area of the old building was around 7,200sqm, while the new building is spread over 65,150sqm.The airport handles over 12,000 passengers per day and operates 38-40 flights daily.