Bhubaneswar: Jeypore airstrip is getting ready for flight services.
A Rs 55 crore contract has been awarded for basic infrastructure works, said the Odisha chief secretary Asit Tripathy, who reviewed the regional air connectivity, here on Wednesday. According to him flight services will begin at the airstrip once the infrastructure is ready.
Tripathy said that the meeting emphasised on the expansion of Jeypore and Rourkela airstrips.
The chief secretary directed to widen the airstrip of Rourkela for operation of bigger flights. Presently, Rourkela with 5900 ft runway has been made ready for operation of 19-sitter flights. Routes like Bhubaneswar, Kolkata and Raipur have been decided for the airport. Airport Authority of India has floated the bidding inviting offer from airlines operators.
He also directed that the land acquisition for the Utkela airstrip in Kalahandi be completed at an early.
The meeting suggested air routes like Bhubaneswar to Jeypore, and Bhubaneswar to Rourkela, Bhubaneswar to Utkela and Utkeala to Raipur, Bhubaneswar to Jharsuguda and Jharsuguda to Ranchi for regional connectivity.
Stating that two new flights will soon introduced from the Jarsuguda’s Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport, the chief secretary said the new flights will connect Jharsuguda with Bangalore and Kolkata. Jharsuguda already has been connected with Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Hyderbad, Kolkata and Raipur. With this, total five airlines will operate from the airport.
Four airstrips- Jeypore, Utkela, Rourkela and Jharsuguda- with Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar, as mentor airport have been included in government of India’s UDDAN scheme.
DG Police BK Sharma, principal secretary finance Ashok Meena, principal secretary general administration Sanjeev Chopra, principal secretary revenue NB Dhal, IG fire service Ashit Panigrahi, works secretary Krishan Kumar, and director civil aviation Himansu Bhusan Panda were present.
