New Delhi, March 10 (IANS): The government on Tuesday said it is working on a proposal to develop the Indian Air Force (IAF) airport at Bihta in Bihar as a new airport for international operations.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma told the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour that his ministry has taken up the matter with the defence ministry and the Bihar state government.

"It (civil aviation ministry) has requested additional land of 600 acres for phase-I and 790 acres for phase-II in lieu of existing Patna Airport," the minister said in a written reply.

In another development, the minister said the state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) has prepared a master plans for development of Raxaul and Muzaffarpur airstrips and requested the state government to provide additional land, removal of obstructions and diversion of road in the approach funnel.

The minister said there were 28 airstrips in Bihar, out of which five -- Gaya, Patna, Jogbani, Muzaffarpur and Raxaul -- are owned by AAI and among these Patna and Gaya airports were currently operational.