Motihari: The long-pending expansion of Raxaul airport, near the India-Nepal border, has moved a step closer with 139 acres of additional land transferred to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The tender process for construction is expected to begin soon.Bimal Prakash, additional district land acquisition officer of East Champaran, said the acquisition and verification of the land had been completed and it handed over to AAI. Most tenants have received the compensation approved by the govt, while the remaining cases will be settled soon.Under the proposed plan, the existing 1,372-metre runway will be extended to 2,360 metres. The project will also include an apron, taxiway, air traffic control (ATC) tower and terminal building.Built in 1962, Raxaul airport is being developed as a brownfield project. Once operational, it is expected to improve connectivity across the border region and boost trade, tourism and commercial activity, particularly in the Raxaul-Birgunj industrial belt.Residents of East and West Champaran have long demanded the airport’s reopening. It is expected to reduce dependence on distant airports in Patna, Darbhanga, Kushinagar and Gorakhpur, besides creating employment and business opportunities.
