On February 5, 2026, SMT Shambhavi asked the Minister of Civil Aviation about the number of new airports commissioned recently for smaller towns under the UDAN scheme in Bihar, the total operational routes and new airports under the UDAN scheme in Bihar, and the plans to extend the UDAN scheme beyond 2027 to cover additional underserved regions in the said State.
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Shri Murlidhar Mohol, stated that the Purnea Airport was developed under the revival/development of Airports Scheme and was inaugurated on 15.09.2025. Additionally, airstrips at Birpur, Saharsa, Munger, Valmiki Nagar, Madhubani and Muzaffarpur have been identified under UDAN for the development and operation of small aircraft. As of 31.01.2026, 12 RCS routes are operational in the State of Bihar under the UDAN scheme, connecting newly developed airports of Darbhanga and Purnea.
Airstrips in Bihar including Arrah, Begusarai, Bettiah, Bhabua, Bhagalpur, Bihar Sharif, Bihta, Buxar, Chhapra, Dehri on Sone, Forbesganj, Jehanabad, Jogbani, Katihar, Kishanganj, Munger, Motihari, Naria, Panchanpur, Raxaul & Sabeya (Gopalganj), are available in the UDAN document. The government has announced the Modified UDAN Scheme to increase regional connectivity to 120 new destinations across the country, and to cater to 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years.
Key Entities Referenced
UDAN Scheme: A regional airport development and Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Government of India.
Bihar: The Indian state which is the focus of the parliamentary question regarding the UDAN scheme.
Ministry of Civil Aviation: The Indian ministry responsible for the UDAN scheme.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 936
( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 5th February 2026 )
DEVELOPMENT OF AIRPORTS UNDER UDAN SCHEME
936. SMT SHAMBHAVI
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION
be pleased to state:-
(a) the number of new airports commissioned recently for smaller towns under
the UDAN scheme in Bihar; and
(b) the details of total operational routes and new airports under the UDAN
scheme in Bihar and the plans to extend the UDAN scheme beyond 2027 to cover
additional underserved regions in the said State?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)
(a) and (b): The Purnea Airport was developed under the revival/development of
Airports Scheme and was inaugurated on 15.09.2025. Further, airstrips at Birpur,
Saharsa, Munger, Valmiki Nagar, Madhubani and Muzaffarpur have been
identified under UDAN for the development and operation of small aircraft.
As on 31.01.2026, 12 RCS routes are operational in the State of Bihar under the
UDAN scheme, connecting newly developed airports of Darbhanga and Purnea.
The following airstrips in Bihar namely Arrah, Begusarai, Bettiah, Bhabua,
Bhagalpur, Bihar Sharif, Bihta, Buxar, Chhapra, Dehri on Sone, Forbesganj,
Jehanabad, Jogbani, Katihar, Kishanganj, Munger, Motihari, Naria, Panchanpur,
Raxaul & Sabeya (Gopalganj), are available in the UDAN document. If any
airline applies for routes connecting the above-mentioned airstrips in future
bidding rounds, the same may be considered as per UDAN provisions.
Moreover, the Government has announced the launch of the Modified UDAN
Scheme to increase regional connectivity to 120 new destinations across the
country, and to cater to 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years.
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