Bhubaneswar: The much-awaited Jharsuguda airport in the western district of Odisha is likely to be operational from July 5. As per a tentative schedule, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate the airport, from where regional flights under the UDAN scheme would start. An attempt is on to have the Rourkela airport too operational the same day.
While the original plan was to have the Jharsuguda airport operational with regional connectivity services (RCS) under the Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik scheme June 20, the date has been changed to have the prime minister available for the inaugural.
Built on an area of 909.22acres at a cost of Rs 175crore, the state government has put Rs 50crore for the airport. It would host A320 Airbus with a maximum capacity of 180 passengers.
Air Odisha would launch its flight operations from Jharsuguda to Bhubaneswar, Ranchi and Raipur. It has, in its initial phase, bought a 21-seater twin-engine Beechcraft 1990D aircraft.
While the schedule for the inauguration of the Jharusugda airport is tentatively fixed, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to have the inauguration of the Rourkela airport too done the same day.
Works on construction of the Utkela airstrip near Bhawanipatna in Kahalandi district and Jeypore airstrip in Koraput district are under way. These airstrips too would have regional connectivity services under the UDAN scheme.
The AAI has appointed a former senior official of the Biju Patnaik International Airport as the officer on special duty (OSD) to expedite the works at the Jeypore airstrip.
While the construction of the runway of the Utkela airstrip has been completed, the AAI has urged the district administration to complete the land acquisition at the earliest for construction of the administrative and terminal buildings.
PNN
