The Raxaul airport expansion in Bihar’s East Champaran district has moved closer to construction after 139 acres of additional land were handed over to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), with the tender process expected to begin soon.
Bimal Prakash, additional district land acquisition officer of East Champaran, said the acquisition and verification of the land had been completed before it was transferred to AAI. Most tenants affected by the acquisition have received the compensation approved by the government, while the remaining cases are expected to be settled soon.
The proposed brownfield development will extend Raxaul airport’s existing 1,372-metre runway to 2,360 metres. The project also includes an apron, a taxiway, an air traffic control tower and a terminal building.
Raxaul airport was built in 1962 and is located near the India-Nepal border. Its expansion is expected to improve air connectivity for the border region and support trade, tourism and commercial activity around the Raxaul-Birgunj industrial belt.
The airport’s reopening and development have been a long-standing demand of residents in East and West Champaran. At present, travellers from the region depend on more distant airports in Patna, Darbhanga, Kushinagar and Gorakhpur, according to the report.
The land transfer removes a major administrative step in the proposed expansion, but construction activity is yet to begin. The next immediate milestone is the launch of tenders for the airport works. Once developed, the facility is expected to create employment and business opportunities in the surrounding region, although the supplied report does not specify the project cost, construction schedule or proposed operational date.
