Due to this, the landing length available from the Dhobi Ghat end has been reduced by a further 439 feet and from the Phulwarisharif end, it has gone down by 779 feet.

In 2001, the AAI had recommended the pruning of 3,700 trees in the vicinity to make landings safer. But nothing happened.

Inadequate runway forces airlines in Patna to fly with only 60 to 70 per cent of their capacity. A Sahara Airlines official said, "Sometimes we fill 90 per cent of our seats. But then we have to restrict the cargo load. We cannot compromise on safety even if it means business losses."

An airport official said, "While landing, a fully loaded Boeing 737 or A-320 will not be able to come to a halt within the given runway. It will overshoot and cause an accident."

Even during take-off, Patna runway falls short of the length required before such an aircraft can become airborne, he said.

Airport director A Dikshit said, "All airlines operators know about Patna's runway length. They fly their aeroplanes accordingly. No body flies with full load specially during summer."

In summer months, Dikshit said, the heat thins out air and makes landings more difficult. "Braking is slower. As a result, airlines cut down on aircraft load even further during these times," he said.

A short runway also means a bumpy landing. "Our pilots have to apply full brakes the moment the aircraft lands. This makes landing jerky.

But without this, there is a danger of overshooting the runway," explained an Indian Airlines official.