Bihar Approved Sonepur Greenfield Airport | 13 Mar 2026

Why in News? 

The Bihar Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has approved the construction of a new greenfield international airport in Sonepur, Saran district. 

Key Points: 

• Project Cost: The Bihar Cabinet has approved the construction of a greenfield international airport at Sonepur with ₹1,302 crore allocated for land acquisition. 
  • The airport will be developed on about 4,200 acres in the Dariyapur Chanwar area, situated between Hajipur and Dumaria in Saran district of Bihar. 
• Target: The State government has set an ambitious target to complete the airport by 2030, marking a major infrastructure initiative for northern Bihar. 
  • The Sonepur Greenfield Airport is expected to be the fifth largest airport in India, after the international airports at Delhi, Hyderabad, Navi Mumbai, and Noida (Jevar). 
• Employment: The construction and operational phases are likely to create direct and indirect employment opportunities for thousands of people in the region. 
  • Land acquisition and planning are expected to incorporate environmental and ecological safeguards as part of the greenfield development. 
• Impact: The project is seen as a significant boost to regional connectivity in north Bihar, improving passenger and cargo movement, promoting tourism and strengthening economic growth in the region.