Patna: Chief minister Samrat Choudhary will on Monday launch the “Mukhyamantri Bihar Heli-Tourism and Air Tourism Service Scheme 2026”, a joint initiative of the tourism department and civil aviation department, to provide quicker and safe access to Bihar’s religious and natural tourist destinations.“In the first phase, Valmikinagar, Maa Mundeshwari Mandir (Kaimur), Rajgir and Patna have been connected by helicopter service. With the state govt’s subsidy, tourists will now be able to enjoy the Patna joy ride for just Rs2,100, Patna-Rajgir for Rs4,000, Patna-Valmikinagar forRs 5,000, and Patna-Kaimur for Rs6,000. The govt is providing a subsidy of up to Rs15,422 per ticket. Online booking will begin from July 13 and the service will start from July 18 every Saturday and Sunday,” Choudhary posted on X on Sunday.Tourism secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh said Valmikinagar, Maa Mundeshwari Mandir, Patna and Rajgir in Nalanda have been included in the first phase. A govt aircraft will be used for the Valmikinagar route, while a rented 6+2 seater helicopter will operate on the Kaimur and Rajgir routes. A maximum of five tourist seats can be reserved in each ferry.The Patna-Valmikinagar-Patna service will run every Saturday and Sunday, departing Patna at 10am and 3pm, with return trips at 11am and 4.30pm. The route will have a proposed weekly capacity of 20 seats each way. The Patna-Rajgir-Patna and Patna-Kaimur-Patna services will also operate on weekends. The Rajgir flight will depart at 9.30am and return at 10.30am, while the Kaimur flight, via Karamchat Dam helipad, will depart at 11am and return by 12.45pm. Each route will have 10 seats per week.The scheme also includes helicopter joy rides offering aerial views of Patna. The 10-minute rides will start at 3pm every Saturday and Sunday, with four rides per day, a 30-minute gap between flights and five seats per ride. Tickets will be booked through the Bihar Tourism and Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation online portals.The CM will also lay the foundation stone for a Buddhist Meditation and Experience Centre in Bodh Gaya, to be built at Rs 165.44 crore.The CM will also inaugurate completed tourism development schemes worth Rs28.50 crore, including a thematic gate at Manersharif, development of tourist facilities at Digha Ghat, development and beautification of Sandeshwar Nath Shiv Mandir in Gaya, redevelopment of Gandhi Maidan Park in Gaya, construction of a grand gate and lighting work at Vaishno Mandir in Gaya, development works under Phase-2 at Brahmeshwarsthan, development of Belaur Surya Mandir in Bhojpur, beautification of the pond and construction of shops at Devkuli Dham Sheohar, and development works of Nanak Sahab Lalganj, the tourism secretary said.
