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Purnia Airport
Domestic airport in Purnia, Bihar, India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Purnia Airport (ICAO: VEPU) known as 14FBSU is located in Purnia in the state of Bihar, India. This is a base of Indian Air Force. This airport was built to ensure supplies reach the Indian Army during the Sino-Indian War. This airbase is used as a backup in the region of North East Corridor.[1]
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History
Purnia Airport is located around 10 kilometers west from the city of Purnia. It was built originally in the 1960s by the Indian Air Force to support military logistics and to support operations in the areas of Northeast India.[2] The airport was very important in the Sino-Indian War and played a big role in defense operations the wider region. The airport was originally known as Chunapur Air force Station, and has a long concrete runway used primarily for military aircraft operations. Basic infrastructure was also built to serve the airport.[3]
The airport is strategically located in an area where rapid deployment of aircraft can take place in the sensitive eastern border region.[4] It has remained under the control of the Indian Air Force for decades and with no major plans for scheduled passenger service.[5] Initial talks about converting a small area of the airport into a civil enclave began in the early 2000s. This was done considering the need for better air connectivity in the Seemanchal region of Bihar. Commercial flight operations were launched in 2012 for a brief period, but were short lived due to inadequate infrastructure and low demand.[6]
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Recent development
In June 2022 Government of Bihar completed the acquisition of around 52.5 acres of land right next to the existing Air Force base to start construction on the civil terminal.[7] A VIP lounge, cargo facilities and other supporting infrastructure is also planned to be built. Purnia airport was selected as part of Government of India's UDAN regional connectivity scheme to boost air access in underserved regions of North Bihar. In early 2025, the Airport Authority of India approved a contract to construct a interim passenger terminal.[8] The contract was worth ₹33.99 crore (US$4.0 million) with construction to complete within three to four months.[9] Small protests have occurred over alleged compensation delays in land acquisition, however local officials stated payments were processed send to respective land owners.[10] The terminal and airport is expected to be operational by the end of 2025, and scheduled flights beginning afterwards.[11] Initial routes have been proposed to connect Purnia to Patna, and Kolkata enhancing air connectivity for residents in North Bihar and nearby areas of West Bengal and Nepal.
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See also
References
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