Patna: The state govt has invited bids from airlines to launch direct international flights from Patna and Gaya, proposing five routes under its New Destination Policy in a bid to expand overseas connectivity and boost tourism, business and pilgrimage travel.The proposed routes are Patna-Kathmandu, Gaya-Kathmandu, Gaya-Sharjah, Gaya-Colombo and Gaya-Singapore. A fresh tender was floated this month, with airlines asked to submit bids by Sept 3. The technical and financial bids are tentatively scheduled to be opened on Sept 8.The initiative aims to start regular international services from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna and add new overseas destinations from Gaya Airport.Under the policy, the state govt will provide viability gap funding (VGF) to airlines for launching the selected routes. The financial support will initially be available for six months and may be extended for another six months depending on route performance.Officials said the civil aviation department will evaluate airlines on parameters such as destination proposed, flight frequency, aircraft type, seating capacity and the VGF sought by the bidder. The objective is to encourage airlines to operate routes that may face commercial challenges during the initial phase.A senior official said the govt was continuing its efforts to expand international connectivity from both Patna and Gaya. The govt is also monitoring the impact of the Middle East crisis on airline operations while proceeding with the selection process.The proposed Patna-Kathmandu service will restore a direct air link between Bihar’s capital and Nepal, a route that was operated from Patna until the early 2000s.For Gaya, the proposed services to Kathmandu, Sharjah, Colombo and Singapore are expected to strengthen its position as an international gateway, particularly for Bodh Gaya and Bihar’s Buddhist tourism circuit. Direct links to Colombo, Singapore and Kathmandu could make travel easier for pilgrims and tourists from key international markets.Gaya already handles seasonal international flights during the peak Buddhist pilgrimage period. However, the govt has been seeking regular international services to more destinations to improve year-round connectivity and support tourism and allied businesses.Officials said the VGF mechanism would help reduce the financial risk for airlines launching new services from Bihar while allowing the government to assess passenger response and route viability before deciding on an extension of support.The move follows the state’s earlier initiative to start the Gaya-Bangkok service, for which IndiGo has already been selected under a govt-supported arrangement. Flight operations are expected to begin in October, with bookings likely to open later this month.
