GET READY TO TOUR BY HELICOPTER

GET READY TO TOUR BY HELICOPTER

17-JULY-ENG 8

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA----------------------To ensure easy, quick, and safe access for tourists to religious, cultural, and natural tourist sites in Bihar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary will launch the "Chief Minister Bihar Heli-Tourism and Air Tourism Service Scheme 2026" on Monday. This scheme will be operated under the joint aegis of the Tourism Department and the Civil Aviation Department, Bihar.

Tourism Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh stated that the scheme's primary objectives are to promote high-end religious and heritage tourism in Bihar, increase the number of domestic and foreign tourists, encourage local employment generation in the Valmikinagar, Kaimur, and Rajgir regions, boost tourism revenue, and establish Bihar as a recognized destination for heli-tourism and air tourism at the national level.

The first phase of heli-tourism includes Valmikinagar (West Champaran), Maa Mundeshwari Temple (Kaimur), and Rajgir (Nalanda). Under the scheme, a state government aircraft will be used for Valmikinagar, while chartered helicopters (6+2 seater category) will be utilized for Kaimur and Rajgir. A maximum of five seats per trip will be reserved for tourists.

According to the proposed operations, the Patna-Valmikinagar-Patna service will run every Saturday and Sunday, with departures from Patna scheduled for 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, and return times set for 11:00 AM and 4:30 PM, respectively. A capacity of 20 seats per week is proposed for this route.

Similarly, Patna-Rajgir-Patna and Patna-Kaimur (Karamchat Dam helipad)-Patna helicopter services will also operate every Saturday and Sunday. Departure for Rajgir is scheduled for 9:30 AM with a return at 10:30 AM, while the schedule for Kaimur involves an 11:00 AM departure and a return by 12:45 PM. A capacity of 10 seats per week has been allocated for both these routes.

Under the scheme, a provision has also been made for helicopter joyrides to offer an aerial view of Patna city's skyline. This service will commence at 3:00 PM every Saturday and Sunday; each ride will last 10 minutes with a 30-minute interval between flights, and four rides will be operated daily, each accommodating five passengers.

The state government has established a concessional fare structure for citizens and tourists. Accordingly, the fare per passenger is set at ₹5,000 for the Patna-Valmikinagar route, ₹6,000 for Patna-Kaimur, ₹4,000 for Patna-Rajgir, and ₹2,100 per seat for the helicopter joyride (Patna sightseeing). All tickets will be booked through the online portals of Bihar Tourism and the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation.

Additionally, on Monday, under the Chief Minister's Tourism Policy, the Chief Minister will hand over a cheque for ₹1.37 crore—representing the first installment of the capital/interest subsidy for tourism—to M/s Toofani Adventure Pvt. Ltd., an applicant from Muzaffarpur, under the amusement park category.

Under the Chief Minister's Home Stay Policy, the Chief Minister will also present certification certificates to Santosh Kumar (Valmikinagar), Usha Singh (Bodh Gaya), and Purushottam Prakash (Barabar).

Furthermore, the Chief Minister will lay the foundation stone for the construction of a Buddhist Meditation and Experience Centre in Bodh Gaya, Gaya district, at a cost of ₹165.44 crore. Once constructed, this facility will provide global Buddhist tourists visiting Bodh Gaya with access to a world-class meditation and experience center. He will also inaugurate tourism development projects worth ₹28.50 crore, including a thematic gate at Maner Sharif; development of tourism facilities at Digha Ghat; development and beautification of the Sandeshwar Nath Shiva Temple in Gaya; redevelopment of Gandhi Maidan Park in Gaya; construction of a grand entrance and lighting for the Vaishno Temple in Gaya; Phase-2 development works at Brahmeshwar Sthan; development of the Belaur Sun Temple in Bhojpur; beautification of the pond and construction of shops at Devkuli Dham in Sheohar; and development works at Nanak Sahib, Lalganj.

Bookings for the Heli-Tourism scheme commence on July 13, with the initiative being launched by the Honorable Chief Minister. The general public can book services starting tomorrow via the Bihar Tourism Department's online portal, www.tourism.bihar.gov.in. The Heli-Tourism scheme will officially launch on July 18.