Bhubaneswar: The Opposition BJD Tuesday said that it was due to the efforts of former chief minister Naveen Patnaik that the Centre gave the nod for the airport in Puri.
The BJD released a letter that Patnaik wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2021, seeking a greenfield airport in the seaside temple town.
BJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Subhasish Khuntia, who hails from Puri, said the plan for the airport was prepared by Patnaik when he was the chief minister.
“In 2021, Patnaik wrote to PM Modi, following which the site clearance for this project was done in 2023. About 1,146 acres of land were identified for the project, and 251 acres were acquired,” he said.
To make Puri a world-class tourism destination, Patnaik had also developed the heritage corridor and the Blue Flag beach, he added.
“After becoming an MP, I have also raised the Puri airport issue in Rajya Sabha several times,” Khuintia said.
“I would say that Naveen Patnaik’s vision is going to take shape. Therefore, I give credit for the airport in Puri to him,” the MP said.
The 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri is considered one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites by Hindus.
The Centre Monday accorded in-principle approval for a greenfield airport in the town.
Last year, the Centre had sought a detailed project report (DPR), including a development plan, cost and funding proposals, traffic projections, and timelines for the construction of the proposed Shree Jagannath International Airport in Puri, an official said.
The Centre had, in September 2023, granted “site clearance” to the Odisha government for setting up the airport, he said.
PTI
