When flights turn into near-misses and excuses rain down harder than monsoon showers, it’s time we asked the one question no one in power wants to answer – What on earth are we waiting for?
On Tuesday, July 15, another IndiGo flight landing at Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport came perilously close to disaster. This isn’t shocking. It’s routine. And it’s unforgivable.
A Runway That’s Too Short… and a System That’s Out of Time
Patna Airport is infamous for its dangerously short runway, which makes every landing a test of nerves and skill. Pilots have repeatedly flagged the challenge of controlling speed on this unforgiving strip… especially in rain or wind. The proposed runway extension? Still waiting. Why? Because the land required is “under acquisition.” Translation: buried in bureaucratic indifference.
Clock Tower or Flight Hazard? Choose One
Then there’s the 333-ft clock tower… a proud part of the Patna Secretariat, but also a massive aerial hazard. Its height forces aircraft to descend at a steeper angle (3.25–3.5°) instead of the safe standard of 3°… a subtle shift with deadly consequences in poor visibility or stormy weather.
Airport authorities have proposed reducing the tower’s height by 17.5 metres to allow safer landings. That proposal has been collecting dust like every other safety measure that doesn’t make headlines.
An Airport Built in the Wrong Place for All the Wrong Reasons
Unlike most cities where airports are located on the outskirts, Patna’s airport sits right in the heart of the city… surrounded by dense residential areas, a zoo, a railway station, and government buildings. It’s boxed in – Phulwari Sharif railway station on one side, Patna Zoo and thick vegetation on the other, and yes, the clock tower looming dangerously close. All of this makes expansion almost impossible and risks unimaginable.
The zoo’s trees? Beautiful, but they’re also a magnet for birds. And where birds and aircraft meet, we know what happens.
A Recipe for Tragedy, Written in Ignorance
This isn’t just about one airport. This is about every Indian city where development decisions are made without foresight, where people pay the price for planning that ignores science, safety, and sanity.
We’re not asking for luxury… we’re demanding safety. We’re the ones flying back home for emergencies, weddings, jobs, or dreams. And we’re the ones landing at airports like Patna’s, wondering if this will be the time fate finally runs out.
ENOUGH. We Demand This:
1) Immediate action to lower the clock tower
2) A clear and time-bound runway extension plan
3) Relocation or redirection strategies for critical infrastructure
4) Comprehensive bird hazard and airspace management around the zoo
This isn’t politics. It’s survival. This isn’t a plea. It’s a roar.
What on earth are we waiting for… another tragedy to trend for 24 hours before silence returns?
