City airport runway likely to be extended at both ends
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Patna: Plans are afoot to extend the runway at Patna's Jayprakash Narayan International Airport at both ends to resolve longstanding operational challenges and bring the facility up to international standards.
The district administration is examining the feasibility of extending the airstrip eastwards towards Patna zoo and westwards towards the railway line.
Patna divisional commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh, who chaired a meeting of the Airport Environment Management Committee on Monday, said, "The short runway at Patna airport poses landing difficulties. The runway length needs to be increased to meet international standards."
He added that a 200-metre extension with a 300-metre width towards Phulwarisharif is being considered as there is vacant govt land in that direction which had been leased to a company. "Besides, a 500-metre extension towards Patna coo is possible if we get around 15 acres of land to the east side. The district administration can provide an additional 15 acres to the zoo from the west, which belongs to Patna Golf Club, a govt property spread over 102 acres," Singh said.
He added that the eastern expansion would require converting the existing 700-metre road running from Patna zoo Gate 2 to IAS Bhawan into an underground passage. The Patna district magistrate will submit a proposal to the cabinet secretariat department, incorporating all considerations.
Highlighting another obstacle, Patna airport director Krishna Mohan Nehra said the height of the Old Secretariat's clock tower was a major concern.
"Currently, the tower is 49.5 metres tall and affects the use of 134 metres of the runway. Due to this, the standard landing angle of three degrees cannot be maintained and aircraft are forced to land at steeper angles of 3.25 to 3.5 degrees," he said. Reducing the tower's height by 17.5 metres would allow for standard landings and optimal runway usage.
Singh said the Patna DM would obtain a formal proposal from airport authorities regarding the height reduction and submit it to the cabinet secretariat department for a govt decision.
To enhance airside safety, Singh directed Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials to ensure proper waste disposal near the airport. PMC informed the committee that the secondary waste collection point at Gardanibagh would be shifted to Yarpur as the new facility is expected to be operational by Aug 15.
The commissioner also stressed the need for continuous monitoring and legal action against open meat and fish shops, citing their threat to both aircraft and public health.
"Reducing bird attraction sources near Patna airport is essential to avoid bird hit incidents," he said.
The airport director added that shops in Phulwarisharif have been removed for safety reasons and campaigns are on to regulate meat shops, manage waste and prune trees regularly. Singh asked the forest officials to remove obstacles and trim trees as per the Obstacle Limitation Survey under the Aircraft Act, 1934.
He also directed the installation of CAT-I lights, commissioning of the DVOR system and regular removal of stray dogs from airport premises.
The meeting was attended by the Patna DM Thiyagarajan SM, traffic SP Aparajit Lohan and officials from PMC, forest division, Patna zoo, Patna airport and the Danapur railway division.
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