Sabeya airport is part of UDAN scheme: Gopalganj MP Alok Kumar Suman

PATNA: The Sabeya airstrip at Hathua in Gopalganj district is part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN as an ‘unserved airport’. A letter in this regard was issued to JD(U) MP Alok Kumar Suman by former Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on July 2.
Earlier, the Gopalganj MP had requested Puri to begin flight operations from the Sabeya airstrip under the UDAN scheme.
Suman told this newspaper over the phone from New Delhi on Monday that the airstrip in Gopalganj was last used in 1968.“I will talk to the officials concerned for upgradation and renovation of the Sabeya airstrip so that commercial flight operations can begin soon,” he added.
According to Puri’s letter, no airline has submitted a proposal to operate commercial flights from Gopalganj yet.
Suman said, “As soon as some airlines show interest in launching flights from the Sabeya airstrip under the UDAN scheme, a civil enclave will be developed there. International flights may also operate from there in future.”
He added, “Launching flights from Gopalganj will be beneficial for the people of north Bihar and neighbouring districts in Uttar Pradesh.”
The Sabeya airstrip is a military airport, which is under the control of the Union ministry of defence. It was built in 1868 during the British rule and is spread over an area of 571 acres.