India, Sept. 9 -- IndiGo and Star Air have announced the launch of direct flights from Purnea Airport to Bengal's Kolkata and Gujarat's Ahmedabad, respectively, on September 15 - the day the airport will be formally inaugurated under the Centre's UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) regional connectivity scheme.

The Bihar government had announced plans to develop 15 airports - a significant increase from the current three - to boost air connectivity in the state at an estimated cost of Rs.11,500 lakh, according to the budget presented in the assembly in March. Deputy chief minister Samrat Chaudhary had said the Purnea airport, a defence airbase, was expected to begin commercial flight operations within three months after the completion of the ...