Samrat Choudhary: Bihar Air Travel to Skyrocket 10-Fold by 2030

Bihar's aviation sector received a major push as Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary formally transferred Darbhanga Airport's security to CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan during a ceremonial flag and key handover. In his keynote speech, Choudhary called the day pivotal, adhering to PM Modi's frugality directive amid economic strengthening efforts. He linked the simple event to broader national savings on fuel and resources. Reflecting on progress, the CM lauded visionary leaders like Vajpayee, Modi, and Nitish Kumar for reshaping Mithilanchal's landscape. Passenger numbers have exploded from 2.5 lakh in 2005-06 to over 50 lakh now—a 20-fold increase. Looking ahead, Choudhary set an ambitious target: 10 times current air connectivity in five years, facilitating 4-5 crore annual flyers from Bihar. He commended Kumar's road networks, airport upgrades, and AIIMS groundwork, which his government is accelerating. Positioning Darbhanga Airport as a commercial lifeline for regional produce, the CM announced plans for a new industrial unit replacing the shuttered Ashok Paper Mill. 'This airport will connect Mithilanchal to the world,' he asserted. The state is aggressively expanding aviation footprint. Muzaffarpur, Raxaul, Saharsa, and Virpur airports are in tender phase; Purnea is live; Munger, Ajgaibinath, Bhagalpur, and Begusarai will follow soon—be it full airports, strips, or heliports. Choudhary reassured locals by committing to lobby PM Modi for renaming the facility after saint-poet Baba Vidyapati and upgrading it internationally. Bihar's aviation revolution is poised to take off, promising economic prosperity and global links.