IAF requested to allow resumption of Darbhanga Airport work in Bihar: Aviation Minister

The Civil Aviation Ministry has requested the Indian Air Force (IAF) to allow resumption of construction work for the Darbhanga airport, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday. The Darbhanga airport is being constructed as a civil enclave, which is part of an IAF air base allocated for civil aviation operations.

"A request has been made to the IAF to allow the work to restart. Once we begin, all works should be over by October 2020," the civil aviation minister said on Twitter.

Puri said, "Work on Darbhanga airport was (going on) in full swing till it had to be temporarily halted due to the lockdown necessitated by our fight against COVID-19." India has been under lockdown since March 25 to stem the spread of coronavirus, which has infected 67,152 people and killed 2,206 in the country so far.

"An interim civil enclave is being developed by the AAI (Airport Authority of India) on land leased by IAF. This includes a terminal building with capacity to handle 150 passengers which is 95 per cent complete," Puri said.

"Work to strengthen the present IAF apron for two aircraft of Airbus category is also 50 per cent complete," he noted.

All commercial passenger flight operations have been suspended for the lockdown period. However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation have been allowed to operate.