Talking to reporters here he said the AAI officials should know that the operations of flights at an airport and related matters are the responsibility of the Centre and not of the state government.

 He said that the state government had already trimmed trees around the airport, including at the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, to make flight operations safe. But it appears that AAI wants to cut all the trees to satisfy its whims.

 The chief minister said that there was shortage of land to expand the length of landing area at Patna airport. He added that acquisition of land was a costly exercise and if AAI provides the funds, the state government is ready to help it in expansion works.

 The state government had given land for the expansion of the runway of Gaya International Airport, but it was not being used to operate regular commercial flights. Only chartered aircraft and helicopters are landing there.

 Nitish said that the AAI should apply its mind to use Gaya airport to run commercial flights but is threatening to close down operations at Patna airport to hide its own failures.

 It needs to be recalled that an Alliance Air plane crashed just outside Patna airport in July 2000 killing 57 on board. Ever since then the AAI has been seeking more land for runway and trimming of trees. It also has an objection over the secretariat tower.

 In the last few years the state government has made searches for alternative land for airport at Bihta in Patna district, Silao in Nalanda district and now Sonepur in Chapra district, just across Ganga.