Bihta Airport is a planned civil passenger facility at the Indian Air Force station in Bihta, on the western outskirts of Patna. It is meant to give Patna a second airport as Jay Prakash Narayan (JPN) Airport fills up. As of 13 October 2026, it is not open for commercial flights. Terminal construction is far behind schedule, and no official opening date has been announced.
What Is Bihta Airport?
Bihta already has a military airfield, the Bihta Air Force Station. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is building a "civil enclave" on part of it. A civil enclave is a section of a defence airfield set aside for passenger flights, with its own terminal and parking area for civil aircraft.
The idea is old. Bihar's cabinet approved the Patna Master Plan 2031 in 2016, which envisaged a new airport at Bihta. The Union Cabinet approved the project on 16 August 2024. Its stated reason was that Patna Airport is expected to reach capacity and cannot expand further.
Bihta Airport: Quick Facts
| Item | Detail | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Responsible agency | Airports Authority of India (AAI) | Cabinet release, Aug 2024 |
| Approved cost | ₹1,413 crore | Cabinet, 16 Aug 2024; PIB, 30 May 2025 |
| Foundation stone | 29 May 2025 | PIB |
| Terminal size | 66,000 sq m (Cabinet) or 68,000 sq m (PIB) | Sources differ |
| Capacity | 50 lakh passengers a year, 3,000 at peak hour | Cabinet |
| Ultimate capacity | Up to 1 crore a year, after expansion | Cabinet |
| Apron | 10 parking bays for A321 / B737-800 / A320 aircraft | Cabinet |
| Current stage | Early construction, reportedly stalled | News reports, Sep–Oct 2026 |
| Opening date | None officially announced | — |
Why this matters: the approved capacity is a plan, not today's reality. The airport is currently serving zero passengers.
Where Is Bihta Airport Located?
It lies at the Bihta Air Force Station in Patna district, near the Bihta–Maner road. The distance from Patna depends on who is counting and from where. PIB says the site is about 35 km from Patna, while news reports use 20 to 25 km. Treat the distance as roughly 25–35 km by road, depending on your starting point.
To cut travel time, a Danapur–Bihta elevated road is being built. Reports on its completion date vary (March 2027 in one, June 2027 in another), so check NHAI for the latest.
The existing airfield and the new civil passenger area are different things. The runway belongs to the Air Force site. The terminal and civil facilities are the new construction.
Bihta Airport Construction Status
What is confirmed
- The tender was run in late 2024. Reports say the technical bid opened on 21 November 2024 and the financial bid on 20 December 2024.
- AAI issued the work order in early 2025 to Joint Stock Company Industrial Association Vozrozhdenie, a Russian company. The value was ₹459.99 crore, reported as about 31% below AAI's estimate of ₹665.85 crore.
- The contract covers the integrated terminal, a utility building, electro-mechanical works, and airport, IT and security systems.
What has been reported more recently (media reports, not AAI statements)
- An 8 October 2026 report says only about 2% of the terminal is complete and work has been stalled for four to five months. It adds that government monitoring data showed 1.28% progress in April 2026.
- A team linked to the PMO's PRAGATI framework was scheduled to inspect the site and report to the PMO. One question under review is whether the terminal will stay at its planned size.
- A 10 September 2026 Hindi report says apron work was still going on, while terminal work had stopped.
What the evidence does not tell us
We do not know whether the contract will be terminated or continued, who will finish the terminal, or what the new schedule is. A tender or a foundation stone does not mean the building exists.
Timeline of verified milestones
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct 2016 | Bihar cabinet approves Patna Master Plan 2031 (includes Bihta) |
| 16 Aug 2024 | Union Cabinet approves ₹1,413 crore civil enclave |
| Nov–Dec 2024 | Technical and financial bids opened |
| Early 2025 | Work order issued for the ₹459.99 crore terminal contract |
| 29 May 2025 | Foundation stone laid by the Prime Minister |
| Apr 2026 | 1.28% physical progress recorded in monitoring data (as reported) |
| Sep–Oct 2026 | Reports of stalled work; PRAGATI review |
Bihta Airport Opening Date
No official opening date has been announced. Dates in circulation conflict:
- Early reports said end-2026 or end-2027.
- The reported contractual completion date for the terminal is 14 March 2027.
- At roughly 2% progress, that date looks very unlikely. This is an editorial reading of the reports, not an official statement.
Completing construction and starting passenger flights are separate steps. Flights also need an aerodrome licence, airline interest and security arrangements. Be cautious with any website that gives a firm opening month.
Bihta Airport Master Plan and Layout
No public, final approved master plan is available, and none was found during research. What is documented is the project scope in the PIB release: a two-level terminal with 64 check-in counters, 16 self-check-in kiosks, 10 automatic tray retrieval systems (ATRS) and five aerobridges. It is designed for a 5-star GRIHA green-building rating and draws on Mauryan, Gupta, Nalanda and Vikramshila architecture. The Cabinet approval adds a 10-bay apron and two link taxiways.
Beware pages offering a "Bihta Airport master plan PDF". Check whether a drawing is a tender document or an approved plan before trusting it.
Bihta Airport Runway, Terminal and Passenger Capacity
- Runway today: the existing military runway is about 2,500 m (roughly 8,200 ft), according to Wikipedia, a secondary source.
- Runway extension (proposed): a 15 January 2026 report says Patna's district administration sent a proposal to the state government in December 2025 to acquire 191.86 acres, with estimated compensation of about ₹665 crore. The aim is a 12,000-ft (about 3,660 m) runway. Despite the headline, the report says final approval was still pending. No later decision could be confirmed.
- Terminal capacity: 50 lakh passengers a year is the planned initial capacity. It would exist only after the terminal is built.
- PHP (peak hour passengers) is the number of passengers a terminal can handle in its busiest hour. The planned figure is 3,000.
Why Is Bihta Airport Important for Bihar?
JPN Airport's new terminal opened on 29 May 2025 with a 1 crore passenger capacity. Even so, the Cabinet cited limited land at Patna as a constraint on further growth. Bihta would add capacity, and a longer runway could eventually allow larger aircraft. It could also serve the western side of the city, near institutions like IIT Patna and NIT Patna. Those benefits are expectations. They depend on the project actually being completed.
Bihta Airport vs Patna Airport
| Point | Patna (JPN) Airport | Bihta |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Operating | Under construction, reportedly stalled |
| Terminal | 65,150 sq m, opened May 2025 | 66,000–68,000 sq m, planned |
| Capacity | Up to 1 crore a year (PIB) | 50 lakh a year initially (planned) |
| Cost of terminal project | ₹1,200 crore | ₹1,413 crore (whole enclave) |
| Role | Main airport | Planned second airport |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current status of Bihta Airport?
It is under construction, with only about 2% of the terminal reportedly done as of October 2026.
What is the expected opening date?
None is officially announced.
Where is Bihta Airport located?
At the Bihta Air Force Station in Patna district, roughly 25–35 km from Patna by road.
What is the official airport code?
No confirmed IATA code for civil use was found. Wikipedia lists none, and some flight-tracking sites show "VEBT", which could not be verified against an official source.
Is Bihta Airport currently operating commercial passenger flights?
No.
Is Bihta Airport planned as a domestic or international airport?
This is not officially defined. Some media mention future international plans, but nothing official confirms them.
What is the approved project cost?
₹1,413 crore for the civil enclave. Of that, ₹459.99 crore is the terminal-building contract.
What is the planned passenger capacity?
50 lakh passengers a year, expandable.
Where can readers find official project documents?
On the AAI website, in PIB's Ministry of Civil Aviation releases, and in replies given in Parliament.
Final Summary
Bihta Airport is an approved, funded project with a laid foundation stone, but it is not an operating airport and it is badly behind schedule. Check the AAI website and PIB for fresh announcements, plus the outcome of the PRAGATI review. Treat any firm opening date with caution until AAI announces one.