Bihar: Bhagalpur residents launch campaign for air service

BHAGALPUR: Upset over the delay in commencement of air services from Bhagalpur, the denizens have launched a ‘Twitter abhiyaan’ (campaign) -- #Bhagalpur Wants Greenfield Airport -- to draw attention of PM Narendra Modi, civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar besides the Airports Authority of India officials towards their demand.
They have also decided to start a postcard abhiyan - ‘Bhagalpur mangey airport’ — as part of sustained demonstration, including hunger strike, march and other means of peaceful protest in support of their demand for commercial flight operations from the Bhagalpur airfield, which was built in 1983.
Gautam Singh, who led the Twitter campaign, said the Bhagalpur airfield has sufficient area and basic infrastructure for initiating commercial flights. Neglect at the central and state government levels besides silence of the people’s representatives resulted in delay in air services from Bhagalpur. He said their protest will continue.
Former president of Eastern Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries (EBCCI), Shailendra Kumar Saraf, said private operators had operated small aircraft from the Bhagalpur airfield way back in 1983. However, due to non-viability (low passenger volume) at that time, the air services were withdrawn, he said.
Eastern Bihar Industries Association (EBIA) general secretary Alok Agarwal and other members of EBIA, demanded air connectivity from Bhagalpur. They said it will give a boost to local silk industries as well as other businesses. Silk exporters and foreign buyers avoid coming to Bhagalpur in the absence of air connectivity.
Dr Sandeep Lal, president of Bhagalpur chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other IMA members, expressing concern about the delay in starting the air-services from Bhagalpur, said that it is not only necessary for fast traveling but also for medical emergencies. Many critical patients die due to poor means of transportation, added Dr Somen Chaterjee saying air-connectivity would be helpful in air-lifting critical patients to big hospitals with emergency facilities in metropolitan cities.
Meanwhile the JD(U) MP from Bhagalpur Ajay Kumar Mandal said that there is an urgent need to provide air connectivity from Bhagalpur under the ‘Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - Udan’ in view of the city being developed under the ‘Smart City Mission’. He will take up the issue at the appropriate forum, added Mandal.
Other associations of people including District Bar Association (DBA), Bhagalpur University Teachers Association (BHUTA), Bhagalpur University Service Teachers Association (BHUSTA), Resham Bunkar Khadi Evam Gramodyog Sangh (RBKEGS), Nagrik Vikas Samiti, Lions International Club, Rotary International Club and others also expressed their resentment about neglect of Bhagalpur region in starting air-services from Bhagalpur while coming forward to express solidarity with the twitter campaign.
Meanwhile, the denizens forum, in a meeting today, considered forming a peoples’ committee on the issue to deliberate on the modalities of protest for drawing attention of the PM, Civil Aviation Minister, Bihar CM, AAI and others towards the long pending issue that dates back to 1983.