Latest news with #ChandrashekharSingh
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Patna, Bihta airports to serve together'
1 2 Following heightened aviation safety concerns, Patna divisional commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh speaks to TOI's Sheezan Nezami about runway extension, infrastructure upgrades and long-term plans for Patna and Bihta airports. Excerpts: The recent plane crash in Ahmedabad raised safety concerns across airports in the country. We all know that Patna airport is considered one of the riskiest airports in India, especially due to its short runway. Is there any plan to extend it? If yes, how? Yes, there is a plan to extend the runway. The airport authority has submitted a proposal. On the western side, 200x300 metres of govt land will be made available. This land, although previously leased, is currently unused. The district magistrate is preparing a proposal for its transfer, which will be sent to the state cabinet. Similarly, on the eastern side, 300x500 metres of land is being sought. This can be arranged by reallocating 15 acres from Patna coo. A proposal is being prepared for this as well. The zoo will be compensated with land from the Golf Club, which has around 102 acres. An ideal golf course requires only 50 to 55 acres. Once the airport is extended towards the zoo side (Gate No. 2), an underpass will be constructed to ensure mobility, replacing the existing road. The clock tower at the Old Secretariat has long been considered a major threat to Patna airport. Will any concrete steps be taken? The clock tower falls directly within the funnel zone, making the already short runway even less usable. While 9,000 feet is the international standard, Patna's runway is only 6,800 feet and a further 400 feet cannot be used due to the tower's obstruction. Landings at Patna occur at an angle of 3.15 to 3.50 degrees instead of the standard 3 degrees, causing aircraft to jolt upon landing. Reducing the tower's height would resolve these issues. The airport authority has proposed a height reduction of 17.5 metres and a formal proposal will be sent to the cabinet. The clock tower now serves only an aesthetic purpose from the British era, much like other old clock towers in various cities. Apart from the clock tower, birds are said to pose a threat to Patna airport, especially due to the secondary garbage point in Gardanibagh, which attracts them. A site in Yarpur has been sanctioned for relocating this garbage point and Patna Municipal Corporation is working towards this. By Aug 15, the Gardanibagh area will be cleared and may be repurposed by PMC as a yard. Meat and fish shops along the lane from Chitkohra to Anisabad, also seen as risks, have already been shifted. The waterlogging on the airport's southern side near the railway line also draws birds. A major drainage project has been proposed there to address this. What about the dense population surrounding the airport? Do buildings comply with regulations? Has there been a height survey? Also, what about encroachments in the vicinity? Yes, a joint survey is carried out by the airport authority and the municipal corporation to monitor building heights, particularly within the funnel area. During construction approval, the corporation checks height compliance, and any violations are acted upon. As for encroachments, we have already removed those at Kaushal Nagar. Bihta airport is expected to serve as an alternative to Patna airport, yet progress seems slow. When can we expect it to be fully operational? Work has commenced and the project is expected to be completed by 2027. Will Patna airport shut down once Bihta airport becomes operational? No, both airports will function simultaneously. In fact, air traffic demand is projected to grow significantly and both airports will be required to meet that future demand.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
City airport runway likely to be extended at both ends
1 2 Patna: Plans are afoot to extend the runway at Patna's Jayprakash Narayan International Airport at both ends to resolve longstanding operational challenges and bring the facility up to international standards. The district administration is examining the feasibility of extending the airstrip eastwards towards Patna zoo and westwards towards the railway line. Patna divisional commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh, who chaired a meeting of the Airport Environment Management Committee on Monday, said, "The short runway at Patna airport poses landing difficulties. The runway length needs to be increased to meet international standards." He added that a 200-metre extension with a 300-metre width towards Phulwarisharif is being considered as there is vacant govt land in that direction which had been leased to a company. "Besides, a 500-metre extension towards Patna coo is possible if we get around 15 acres of land to the east side. The district administration can provide an additional 15 acres to the zoo from the west, which belongs to Patna Golf Club, a govt property spread over 102 acres," Singh said. He added that the eastern expansion would require converting the existing 700-metre road running from Patna zoo Gate 2 to IAS Bhawan into an underground passage. The Patna district magistrate will submit a proposal to the cabinet secretariat department, incorporating all considerations. Highlighting another obstacle, Patna airport director Krishna Mohan Nehra said the height of the Old Secretariat's clock tower was a major concern. "Currently, the tower is 49.5 metres tall and affects the use of 134 metres of the runway. Due to this, the standard landing angle of three degrees cannot be maintained and aircraft are forced to land at steeper angles of 3.25 to 3.5 degrees," he said. Reducing the tower's height by 17.5 metres would allow for standard landings and optimal runway usage. Singh said the Patna DM would obtain a formal proposal from airport authorities regarding the height reduction and submit it to the cabinet secretariat department for a govt decision. To enhance airside safety, Singh directed Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials to ensure proper waste disposal near the airport. PMC informed the committee that the secondary waste collection point at Gardanibagh would be shifted to Yarpur as the new facility is expected to be operational by Aug 15. The commissioner also stressed the need for continuous monitoring and legal action against open meat and fish shops, citing their threat to both aircraft and public health. "Reducing bird attraction sources near Patna airport is essential to avoid bird hit incidents," he said. The airport director added that shops in Phulwarisharif have been removed for safety reasons and campaigns are on to regulate meat shops, manage waste and prune trees regularly. Singh asked the forest officials to remove obstacles and trim trees as per the Obstacle Limitation Survey under the Aircraft Act, 1934. He also directed the installation of CAT-I lights, commissioning of the DVOR system and regular removal of stray dogs from airport premises. The meeting was attended by the Patna DM Thiyagarajan SM, traffic SP Aparajit Lohan and officials from PMC, forest division, Patna zoo, Patna airport and the Danapur railway division.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Engineering Services exam held successfully across 12 centres
Patna: Preliminary test (PT) of Indian Engineering Services, organised by the Union Public Service Commission ( UPSC ), was successfully conducted on Sunday at 12 designated centres across the state capital. The exam was held in two shifts—the first from 9.30am to 11.30am, while the second from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Out of a total of 5,772 registered candidates, 2,579 appeared in the first shift, while 2,558 were present in the second shift. The exam was conducted amid tight security. As per the directions of the commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh, magistrates and police officers were deployed at all the centres in accordance with the standards set by the UPSC. There was a mixed response from the students about the level of the question papers. Rahul Kumar, a civil engineering candidate who appeared for the second time at the Magadh Mahila College centre, described the overall paper as moderate. "The questions followed a similar pattern to the previous year's examination. Some questions in the first shift were moderate while others were easy, whereas the questions in the second shift's questions were moderate," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Device Made My Power Bill Drop Overnight elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Pre-Order Undo Md Safiur Rahman, who appeared in the exam for the first time, found both shifts of the paper to be of moderate level. The first shift comprised questions from general studies and engineering aptitude. Another candidate, who appeared for the first time, said, "I found this paper easier than the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering). I was a bit nervous before the commencement of the exam as this was my first attempt".
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Engineering services (prelims) to be held tomorrow at 12 centres
Patna: Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2025, organised by the Union Public Service Commission ( ), will be held on Sunday at 12 sub-centres in Patna in two shifts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A total of 5,773 candidates will appear in the exam. Commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh on Friday briefed officials on ways to conduct the exam in a fair manner. For the successful conduct of the examination, centre-wise local inspection officers, static magistrates-cum-assistant supervisors, zonal magistrates-cum-assistant coordination supervisors, reserve magistrates, and police officers would be deployed. Five zones have been designated for the 12 examination sub-centres. As many as 12 local inspection officers and equal number of assistant supervisors-cum-static magistrates would be deployed centre-wise. Besides five zonal magistrates, six reserve magistrates, and police officers would also be deployed. Alok Kumar, city magistrate-cum-officer-in-charge, district control room, Patna, has been nominated as the nodal officer. He will coordinate with all officers and centre superintendents and provide appropriate assistance as needed. The commissioner directed all local inspection officers to inspect examination preparations at their allotted examination sub-centres a day before the examination. "Organising the Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination, in a clean, malpractice-free and peaceful environment is the administration's top priority. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now All officers, magistrates, and police officers must be prepared," he said. As per the UPSC's directives, cellphones, IT gadgets, digital watches, smartwatches, bluetooth devices, and other communication devices are prohibited in the examination hall. Violation of this directive will result in disciplinary action against the candidate, including debarment from future examinations conducted by the UPSC. Furthermore, officials are also prohibited from carrying cellphones inside the examination hall.
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
With four more testing positive, number of COVID patients in Patna reaches 10
Patna: Four more people have tested positive for COVID in Patna, taking the total number of patients diagnosed with coronavirus infection to 10, an official said on Wednesday. Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said the level of infection is very mild in all the patients, and they were being monitored closely with all necessary protocols followed. "Now, the total number of persons suffering from coronavirus infection in Patna is 10," he said. "We are urging citizens to stay alert but not be alarmed as the health system is fully equipped to handle the situation," he added. Singh said government hospitals in the city have been asked to remain prepared and ensure the availability of beds, oxygen, medicines, and vaccines. COVID cases have been rising steadily across the country over the last few weeks, with most of the patients having mild symptoms and recovering at home.
