2 new airport facilities, 3 metro rail projects get Union Cabinet nod

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday approved three major metro rail projects and two new airport facilities across India.
One of the key approvals was for a New Civil Enclave at Bihta in Patna. With an estimated cost of ₹1,413 crore, the facility is designed to alleviate the saturation of existing capacity at Patna Airport by providing a new integrated terminal building.
Spanning 66,000 sqm, the terminal is designed to handle 3,000 Peak Hour Passengers (PHP) and cater to 50 lakh passengers annually, with provisions to expand capacity to one crore passengers per annum in the future. The project includes the construction of an apron capable of accommodating 10 parking bays for A-321/B-737-800/A-320 type aircraft, as well as two link taxiways.
The new terminal building at Bagdogra Airport, covering 70,390 sqm, is designed to accommodate 3,000 Peak Hour Passengers (PHP) and handle 10 million passengers annually.
“Bagdgora is a rapidly growing place and it is important for connectivity with the northeast. A civil aviation complex will be constructed here at a cost of ₹1,549 crore… Bihta has an operation defence airport, which is 28 km away from Patna. A civil airport will be developed here at a cost of ₹1,413 crore,” Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at a Cabinet briefing.
The Cabinet gave the green light to Phase 3 of the Bangalore Metro Rail Project, which will see the development of two elevated corridors stretching a total of 44.65 km and encompassing 31 stations.
Corridor-1 will extend from JP Nagar 4th Phase to Kempapura along the Outer Ring Road West, covering 32.15 km with 22 stations, while Corridor-2 will run from Hosahalli to Kadabagere along Magadi Road, covering 12.50 km with nine stations.
The Cabinet also approved the Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project, a 29-km corridor designed to run along the periphery of the west side of Thane city, featuring 22 stations. The metro line is expected to witness daily ridership figures of 6.47 lakh passengers by 2029, growing to 8.72 lakh passengers by 2045. This project, estimated to cost ₹12,200.10 crore, is expected to play a crucial role in unlocking Thane’s economic potential by providing a sustainable transport option that will alleviate road congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The third metro rain project approved by the Cabinet is the Swargate to Katraj Underground Line Extension in Pune. This new extension, known as Line-1B, will span 5.46 km and include three underground stations connecting Market Yard, Bibwewadi, Balaji Nagar, and the Katraj suburbs. The project, with an estimated cost of ₹2,954.53 crore, is set for completion by February 2029.