Raisuan: Even as the Central government has initiated a major step to set up small airports in different parts of the country, sadly revival of an old airstrip at Raisuan in mineral-rich Keonjhar district has been neglected.
Air connectivity and development of an already existing airport hold much more importance for the district whose economy hinges on mining, industrial and transport sectors.
Air service is going to start in Jharsuguda soon while development works at airports at Rourkela, Jeypore and Kalahandi will be completed.
Various quarters have decried the alleged negligence of the Centre to the Raisun airstrip, which is 7 km away from the district headquarters town.
A proposal was mooted January 21, 2016, to develop the Raisuna airstrip under the Udaan scheme. A survey was conducted too. The works department had put forth the proposal to acquire 22 acres of land around the airstrip to develop it.
A delegation from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had visited the site to explore on the proposal of developing it as a lost-cost airport.
In 2011-12, a boundary wall had been raised at a cost of Rs 1 crore around the airstrip while a 920-ft long and 30-metre wide runway was blacktopped.
Many prominent leaders of India like former Prime Minister India Gandhi, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, former Chief Ministers Biju Patnaik and Janaki Ballabh Patnaik had landed on and taken off from the airstrip.
From May, 2010 till date, over 200 flights from the airstrip were recorded. For each landing and takeoff, the users have to pay Rs 5,000 to the PWD department.
Locals alleged though the government has chances of getting more revenue from the airstrip, no step is being taken to develop it into a full-fledged low-cost airport.
Various outfits and locals expressed their anguish over the negligence to the airstrip while the district contributes in crores towards revenue to the state exchequer.
