Bhubaneswar: Two Greenfield airports to be established at Puri and Paradeep cities of the State soon, Commerce & Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena told Odisha Legislative Assembly while replying to a query by BJD Lawmaker Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo.
Shri Singh Deo asked, “Whether there is any proposal to set up greenfield airports in Odisha to meet the rising demand for air transport?”
In his reply, the Minister said there are proposals to set up two greenfield international airports in Odisha, one at Puri and another at Paradeep to meet the rising demand for air cargo transport.
Whether the Government has faced challenges related to land acquisition for developing new Airports in Odisha? The BJD MLA further asked.
The projects relating to development of new airports in Odisha are being delayed due to delay in land acquisition process, Jena said.
“To expedite the land acquisition process Commerce & Transport (Transport) Department authorised concerned Executive Engineer (R & B) to file land alienation/acquisition on behalf of this Department for the development of airport/airstrip,” he said.
In 2021, the then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposing to set up an international airport at Puri in the name of Sri Jagannath International Airport.
At that time, the State had assured all support required for establishing the airport in a record time. The Puri district administration has identified about 1500 acres of land alongside the Puri-Brahmagiri road for the proposed airport.
The Government of India has granted site clearance to the State Government of Odisha for setting up of an international greenfield airport at Puri on September 22, 2023.
Now, the Centre is waiting for a detailed project report (DPR) including details like development plan, project cost & funding, traffic projections, timelines for construction of the proposed airport at Puri, sources said.
Similarly, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has recently announced the establishment of an international airport at Paradeep to basically handle cargo.