Rourkela: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has taken initiative to resume daily flight service from this city which started about a year ago but later discontinued for various reasons.
A seven-member Central team Friday reached here to check the existing infrastructure at Rourkela airport. There is plan in place to resume the service from RSP-run airport to Ranchi, Kolkata, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar, sources said.
The team which arrived at the city comprised AAI’s senior manager Saroj Kumar Sahoo, deputy director YK Bandopadhyay of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, assistant director RP Rajgudu of Union civil aviation ministry, head of APTM-IOCL Bhubaneswar Thomas Minz and others.
The team members first had a look at the runway, compound wall, air traffic control room and parking place.
Later, they checked whether the runway is good enough for landing of 20-seater aircraft and spoke to ADM Manisha Banerjee, general manager of Santosh Nayak of RSP’s urban development department and control room officer.
They also visited the aircraft parking area and fuel depot to get a firsthand knowledge of the facilities available at the airport.
The process to resume daily flight service would begin after the team submits its report on the problems and requirements of the airport before the top brass of AAI, it was learnt.
On the other hand, infrastructure development work would be conducted jointly by Steel Authority of India Limited and AAI, sources said.
According to reports, daily flights to prominent cities of the state had begun about a year ago but the service was discontinued following some disputes.
The daily service was affected by the shortage of fuel, locals at that time said. Later, a fuel depot was set up on airport premises to address the issue. PNN