PATNA, July 13 -- Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary will on Monday launch the Mukhyamantri Bihar Heli-Tourism and Air Tourism Service Scheme 2026, a major initiative aimed at improving fast, safe and convenient air connectivity to the state's religious, heritage and eco-tourism destinations, said a government press release issued on Sunday. The scheme, to be implemented jointly by the tourism department and the civil aviation department, will initially connect Valmikinagar, Rajgir and Maa Mundeshwari temple in Kaimur through helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft services. Tourism secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh said the initiative is aimed at promoting religious and heritage tourism, increasing domestic and foreign tourist arrivals, generating local employment and strengthening Bihar's identity as a heli-tourism destination. Under the first phase, Patna-Valmikinagar, Patna-Rajgir and Patna-Kaimur services will operate every Saturday and Sunday. According to the proposed schedule, the Patna-Valmikinagar-Patna air service will operate every Saturday and Sunday, with departures from Patna at 10:00am and 3:00pm, and return flights scheduled at 11:00am and 4:30pm, respectively. The service will offer a capacity of 20 seats per week in each direction, the release said. Similarly, Patna-Rajgir-Patna and Patna-Kaimur (Karamchat Dam Helipad)-Patna helicopter services will also operate every Saturday and Sunday. Flights to Rajgir will depart at 9:30am and return at 10:30am, while flights to Kaimur will depart at 11:00am and return by 12:45pm. Each of these routes will have a weekly capacity of 10 seats in each direction, the communique added. The scheme also includes helicopter joyrides offering aerial views of the Patna skyline. The service will operate every Saturday and Sunday from 3:00 pm onwards. Each joyride will last 10 minutes, with a 30-minute interval between flights. Four rides will be operated each day, with five seats available per ride. The government has fixed subsidised fares at Rs.5,000 for Patna-Valmikinagar, Rs.6,000 for Patna-Kaimur, Rs.4,000 for Patna-Rajgir and Rs.2,100 per seat for a 10-minute helicopter joyride over Patna. Ticket bookings will be available through the online portals of Bihar Tourism and the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation, the release said. The chief minister will also hand over a Rs.1.37-crore capital/interest subsidy cheque to Toofani Adventure Pvt. Ltd. under the state's tourism policy for developing an amusement park in Muzaffarpur. In addition, certificates under the Chief Minister Homestay Policy will be presented to beneficiaries from Valmikinagar, Bodh Gaya and Barabar. The event will also mark the foundation stone laying for a Rs.165.44-crore Buddhist Meditation and Experience Centre at Bodh Gaya, envisioned as a world-class facility for international Buddhist pilgrims. Besides, the chief minister will inaugurate tourism development projects worth Rs.28.50 crore, including works at Maner Sharif, Digha Ghat in Patna, Sandeshwar Nath Shiv Temple, Gandhi Maidan Park and Vaishno Temple in Gaya, Brahmeshwar Sthan, Belaur Surya Temple in Bhojpur, Devkuli Dham in Sheohar and Nanak Sahib at Lalganj, the release added....