India, Dec. 9 -- The runway at Patna airport needs expansion, and the Government has been repeatedly requesting additional land from the Bihar Government while operating the airport based on all safety risk assessments, Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. According to Naidu, the current runway at Patna airport is not suitable for operating many types of aircraft due to load penalties.

(a mandatory reduction in an aircraft's total weight); however, the Ministry is managing operations after taking all safety assessments into account.

Naidu's response came after Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh sought an update on the long-pending runway expansion project.

"We have continuously approached the state Gover...