E Champaran distt to seek revival of defunct airport at Raxaul

BETTIAH: The East Champaran district administration is all set to send a proposal to the Bihar government seeking the revival of a non-operational airport at Raxaul on the Indo-Nepal border, said the district magistrate.

Talking to HT over the phone from Motihari, East Champaran’s district magistrate (DM) Shirsat Kapil Ashok said, “Considering the available land and relevant infrastructure, coupled with its strategic locations, we are set to send a proposal to the state government for its revival and development under airport authority of India’s (AAI) regional connectivity scheme (RCS).”

Ashok described the proposal largely in the interests of travellers dwelling in and around the bordering areas.

“Raxaul airport will boost the air connectivity and facilitate air services for the people of East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Sheohar, and some districts of Nepal if it sees the light of the day,” the DM added.

Located at a distance of about 204 km north of the state capital Patna, an airport at Chikani near Pantoka in Raxaul comes across as a decrepit structure having a runway damaged with vagaries of time. Over the period, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has set its camp here.

The airport was operational in the 1960s under the active supervision of AAI and ceased to operate in 1970, according to reports. “A whopping 152.775 acres of land exists in name of AAI in our records which largely stands fortified with boundary wall, though some part has broken now. Some part of the helipad continues to be in use for the landing of helicopters on special events,” said Vijay Kumar, circle officer (CO), Raxaul.

“All necessary preparations have been made to send the proposal to the state government through the district magistrate by the district revenue department shortly,” said an official.

The development comes at a time when Nepal has constructed a helipad at a disputed location in Narsahi village, a short distance from the Thari border outpost (BOP) of SSB near the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran in August 2020.