Patna: The state govt has taken a significant step to expand the state’s global air connectivity by initiating the bidding for direct international flight services from Patna and Gaya airports.Through its civil aviation department, the state has issued a formal tender seeking airline operators to launch services on key routes under the newly framed New Destination Policy, approved by the state cabinet last year, to boost global connectivity and support tourism as well as economic activities.The proposed routes include a direct commercial flight operation between Patna and Kathmandu, along with services from Gaya to Kathmandu, Sharjah, Bangkok, Colombo, and Singapore. These sectors were identified as priority connections under the policy, building on earlier high-level discussions with major carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet, where officials explored ways to overcome viability challenges on new international routes.To attract operators and ensure sustained services, the govt will offer Viability Gap Funding (VGF). Airlines can receive up to Rs2.5 lakh per round trip on the Patna-Kathmandu route and up to Rs 5 lakh per round trip on the Gaya-Kathmandu route, while Rs10 lakh for other destinations from Gaya, subject to an annual cap of around Rs36.5 crore per route.Nilesh Ramchandra Deore, special secretary, civil aviation department, said the financial support is planned for an initial six months and can be extended for another six months depending on performance. “As per the agreement mentioned in the bidding, airline operators must run between two (round trips) and seven flights per week, with aircraft having a minimum seating capacity of around 150 passengers for most routes, except for Kathmandu route, on which aircraft like ATR-72 or Q400 will be allowed to operate,” he said.The tender builds directly on the policy framework cleared by the cabinet in 2025 and the subsequent interactions with airlines in Sept last year. The bidding process has a clear timeline: Submissions open from March 25, 2026, a virtual pre-bid meeting is set for April 7, 2026, and both technical and financial bids must reach the department physically by April 15, 2026. Technical bids will be opened tentatively on April 16, 2026, with the financial bid opening announced later.If the process moves smoothly, regular international services could begin in the coming months, potentially during the summer travel season.Patna’s Jayprakash Narayan International Airport and Gaya International Airport have so far handled mostly domestic traffic, with Gaya seeing occasional international flights linked to Buddhist tourism. Direct flights to Nepal and South Asia are expected to ease travel for the diaspora, attract more foreign visitors to Bihar’s cultural and religious sites, and create new opportunities for trade and business.Govt officials earlier highlighted in a high-level meeting with airline representatives that expanding air connectivity remains a key priority for the state. They emphasised that better international access would significantly boost tourism while driving broader economic growth by linking Bihar more effectively to important global destinations.Major carriers welcomed the proposal and suggested deploying smaller 72-seater aircraft on the Kathmandu route, where demand may start modestly, and larger aircraft with around 180 seats for the longer international sectors from Gaya to make operations more efficient. Patna airport earlier operated flights to Nepal in the 1990s, which were discontinued in Dec 1999.
