Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Thursday, 14 May chaired a high-level review meeting in Darbhanga, scrutinising the progress of three landmark infrastructure and healthcare projects — the expansion of Darbhanga Airport, the construction of AIIMS Darbhanga, and the redevelopment of Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). The meeting, held at Darbhanga Airport itself, brought together senior officials, health department functionaries, and local public representatives.

Darbhanga Airport: Push for International Status

The session opened with a detailed presentation by the Airport Director, covering the proposed new terminal building, road connectivity upgrades, passenger amenities, and critical infrastructure components including the powerhouse and air conditioning plant. Choudhary directed that all prescribed standards for upgrading Darbhanga Airport to international status be strictly followed and thoroughly deliberated at the forthcoming meeting with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.

'Keeping in mind the prescribed standards for upgrading Darbhanga Airport to an international facility, ensure that these standards are discussed in detail during the upcoming meeting with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India,' Choudhary said. He also instructed officials to make night landing facilities operational at the airport at the earliest.

AIIMS Darbhanga: Bottlenecks to Be Cleared Immediately

Rajnish Mishra, Deputy Director of AIIMS Darbhanga, presented a comprehensive progress report covering land acquisition, civil works, site planning, and road connectivity — including a proposed road-widening plan. Infrastructure provisions such as the planned ring bund, drinking water supply, and electricity connections were also reviewed in detail.

Choudhary directed that construction of AIIMS Darbhanga be expedited and that any bottlenecks be resolved immediately, underscoring the project's importance to the region's healthcare capacity.

DMCH Redevelopment: 1,700-Bed Hospital on Fast Track

Kumar Ravi, Secretary of the Health Department, gave an extensive presentation on the DMCH redevelopment. He confirmed that the enrolment process for 250 students at the Laheriasarai campus is currently under way, while work on the redevelopment of the 1,700-bed hospital is progressing rapidly. Choudhary ordered that the redevelopment be accelerated while maintaining the highest quality standards.

Ending Bihar's 'Referral Culture'

In a significant policy directive, Choudhary announced that the practice of referring patients to other facilities must be eliminated. He instructed officials to formulate a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) specifically aimed at curbing what he described as the 'referral culture' in Bihar's public healthcare system. He also emphasised ensuring easy accessibility of medical services at the Darbhanga Super Specialty Hospital.

This comes amid broader concerns about the quality and reach of public healthcare in Bihar, where patients from Mithila and surrounding districts have historically been routed to facilities in Patna or outside the state. With both DMCH and AIIMS under simultaneous development, Darbhanga is emerging as a regional medical hub — but execution speed and quality control will be critical.

Key Officials Present

The meeting was attended by Madan Sahani, Minister of Prohibition, Excise and Registration, and Dr. Ramchandra Prasad, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, along with other senior officials and local public representatives who raised concerns relating to all three projects.

All directives are expected to be acted upon ahead of the upcoming civil aviation ministry meeting, with project timelines and SOP formulation likely to be the next milestones to watch.