JD(U) demands restoration of Patna-Kathmandu direct flights

PATNA: JD(U)’s senior leader and Rajya Sabha member RCP Singh on Tuesday demanded opening of airports at Bihar’s Bhagalpur and Valmikinagar as well as launch of regular flights from the two places.
Speaking in favour of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill-2019 in the Rajya Sabha, Singh also demanded immediate restoration of direct flights between Patna and Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
He said Patna was earlier directly air connected from Kathmandu. Direct flights operated between the two cities. “Large number of people in Bihar have relations in Kathmandu and Nepal. The Centre should consider to restore direct air connectivity between Patna and Kathmandu,” Singh said in the Upper House.
He further thanked the civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri for taking necessary steps to begin flights from Darbhanga in near future.
“Bhagalpur is also an important town. Vaimikinagar is an important tourist destination. There is a good airport at Valmikinagar. Huge number of people visit Valimikinagar every year. If you give necessary attention on developing Valmikinagar airport, people visiting there will be benefitted,” Singh, who is also national general secretary of JD(U), said in the Rajya Sabha.
Singh also demanded to start direct international flights from Gaya airport. “You all are aware that Gaya is a very important destination for people of all faiths. On several occasions in the past, there were talk of starting direct international flights from Gaya, but it could not happen,” he said.
Singh also demanded constitution of a regulatory body to monitor functioning of private companies in aviation sector. “Whichever private players are coming in the aviation sector, people should know as to how many years they will stay in the sector. It is happening that companies are winding up their business after remaining in the sector for 10 years. There should be system to monitor these companies,” he said.
Earlier in July 2017, an MoU was signed in the presence of then Union civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapati Raju and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for promoting regional air connectivity in the state. Bhagalpur, Purnia, Darbhanga, Saharsa and Valmikinagar were then chosen for promoting regional air connectivity in Bihar.