Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurates Bhagwan Birsa Munda Statue and Feature Wall at Ranchi Airport

In a significant step towards enhancing passenger experience and promoting inclusive airport infrastructure, a series of passenger-centric and culturally significant facilities at Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi were formally inaugurated by Shri Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, in the august presence of Shri Sanjay Seth, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Defence.

Bhagwan Birsa Munda Statue & Feature Wall:
A tribute to Jharkhand’s tribal icon, designed to immerse passengers in the state’s cultural heritage.

Passenger-Centric Facilities:
- UDAN Yatri Café – affordable food and beverages.
- AVSAR Counter – platform for local artisans (e.g., Sohrai paintings).
- Kids Zone – safe play area for families.
- Flybrary – promoting reading culture.

Aviation Growth in Jharkhand
- Airports in India grew from 74 (2014) → 165 (2026).
- Jharkhand’s passenger traffic increased 5x since 2014; Ranchi Airport now handles 27 lakh passengers annually.
- Cargo and aircraft movements also tripled.

Future Plans
- Modified UDAN: 100 new airports & 200 heliports nationwide, with focus on tribal regions.
- Upcoming airports in Jharkhand: Dumka, Hazaribagh, Daltonganj, Dhalbhumgarh, Chaibasa.
- Ranchi Airport expansion: larger security hold area, parallel taxi track, rapid exit taxiway, new aprons.

Minister’s Vision
Ram Mohan Naidu emphasized airports as cultural gateways, not just transit hubs:
> “Airports should reflect the identity, heritage and spirit of the states they represent.”

This blends ease of flying with Vocal for Local, making airports more inclusive and regionally rooted.