PURNEA, Feb. 25 -- The Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) has launched two bus services from the India-Nepal border to facilitate Nepalese citizens travelling to Purnea Airport. The initiative comes amid continued concerns over poor road connectivity to the airport, which has remained a major hurdle since its inauguration on September 15 last year. Despite connectivity challenges, Purnea Airport has recorded impressive passenger footfall. Within just five months of commencing operations, more than one lakh passengers have availed themselves of air services. BSRTC regional manager Prateek Kumar shared the bus schedule with media persons. "Two buses are operating between Purnea Airport and Jogbani in Araria district on the India-Nepal border," he said. The first bus departs from the airport at 9:45 am and the second at 2:45 pm. From Jogbani, buses leave for the airport at 6:30 am and 2:30 pm daily. Currently, Purnea Airport offers direct connectivity to major hubs such as Kolkata, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. Flight operations are primarily managed by IndiGo and Star Air. In addition to passengers from Purnea and neighbouring districts such as Katihar, Araria, Kishanganj, Madhepura, Saharsa, and Supaul (Seemanchal and Kosi regions), travellers from Malda and Raiganj in West Bengal, as well as a significant number of Nepalese citizens, regularly use the airport's services. However, commuters continue to face difficulties reaching the airport. "We have been facing an uphill task to reach the airport on time, as a single-lane road coupled with frequent traffic jams is a major hurdle," a bus driver told media, emphasizing the urgent need for a four-lane road. He also did not rule out delays under the existing conditions. Highlighting the issue of poor road connectivity, RTI activist Vijay Kumar Shrivastava claimed that direct flights to Mumbai, Bangalore, and Guwahati have not yet commenced due to inadequate road infrastructure. He further alleged "step motherly treatment" in the development and expansion of Purnea Airport. Citing a response obtained through an RTI application, he said that the executive engineer of the road division in Purnea had stated that construction work would begin only after approval from the competent authority. He expressed disappointment over what he described as the government's dilly-dallying approach. Recently, Dilip Jaiswal, Bihar's industries and road construction minister who hails from the Seemanchal region, told media persons that he would raise the issue with senior authorities and ensure that road connectivity to the airport is improved. However, locals alleged that the Purnea region has long suffered from a leadership crisis, resulting in continued neglect and underdevelopment....