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Govt decides to close down Patna airport

The Centre on Wednesday decided to close down the Jaiprakash Narain Airport in Patna following a Directorate General of Civil Aviation report that it was the 'most insecure' airport in the country.

The report has pointed out 'serious security threats' and lack of basic facilities at the airport, civil aviation ministry sources said.

They said the Bihar government had also not given an alternative plot of land for the construction of a second airport in Patna, a demand that was made soon after an Alliance Air aircraft crashed in 2000 on the outskirts of the capital.

Former Bihar chief minister and ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav has termed the move to shut the airport a "new tactics to defame " the state.

He said Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain was being used by the Centre to settle scores with Bihar.

Laloo said he had a telephonic conversation with Hussain in the evening and sought reasons for the decision to shut the airport.

About the charge of poor security arrangements at the airport, the former chief minister said that Central forces look after the security at the airport and it's none of the state government's concern.

He also refuted the charge that the state government had failed to handover land for the construction of another airport in the city. "Land has been handed over for the purpose, it's just that no work has taken place," he said.

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