PATNA/PURNIA, Sept. 15 -- After over a decade of relentless campaigning by Indian Air Force (IAF) veterans, locals, and officials of Bihar government, Purnia is finally set to find a permanent place on India's civil aviation map. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Purnia airport on Monday, developed under the Centre's Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) regional connectivity scheme. Two airlines - IndiGo and Star Air - will begin services from the airport, connecting Purnia to Kolkata and Ahmedabad, respectively, with 72-seater ATR turboprop aircraft. IndiGo will operate thrice weekly (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) to Kolkata, while Star Air will connect Ahmedabad on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. According to Kumud Ranjan of Mamta Travels, IndiGo's Kolkata flight (6E 7924) will depart at 12.30pm and arrive in Purnia at 1.40pm, returning at 2.30pm. Star Air's Ahmedabad service (S5 618) will land in Purnia at 8.45am, and return at 12.15pm. Average fares are pegged around Rs.3,500 for Kolkata and Rs.5,800-6,000 for Ahmedabad. Purnia's tryst with aviation dates back to 1933, when British Royal Air Force used the airstrip for aerial measurement of Mt Everest. In 1956, Balurghat Airways briefly operated commercial flights from a makeshift airstrip, followed by JamAir and Kalinga Air in the 70s. However, inadequate infrastructure led to repeated failures. "The Balurghat Airways introduced the first commercial flight between Purnia and Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1956 from the 'Purnia Hawaiadda', a kutcha airstrip before the Chunapur IAF station came up in 1963,. In 1976, Jam Air operated flights between Purnia and Kolkata. The Maharaja of Jamnagar funded the airline between 1976 and 1978, before the airline withdrew its services due to financial constraints and lack of adequate infrastructure at the airstrip, said Vijay Kumar Shreevastava, a sexagenarian in Purnia, closely associated with the "Airport 4 Purnia" campaign. The revival push came in 2012, when Wing Commander Vishwajeet Kumar, then station commander of IAF Station Purnia, introduced a 10-seater Spirit Airways service linking Purnia to Kolkata and Patna. Though short-lived, it ignited public imagination. Wing Cdr Kumar, with district officials, prepared a detailed socio-economic report backing Purnia's case for a civil airport. The proposal gained momentum after CM Nitish Kumar raised the issue with then Union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh. A major breakthrough came in 2015, when PM Modi included Purnia airport in his special package for Bihar. AAI conducted feasibility studies, while the Bihar government acquired nearly 68 acres for the project despite delays due to litigation. The efforts were further accelerated after 2021, with support from then Purnia MP Santosh Kushwaha and civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia....