Bhubaneswar: Three more airports are likely to become operational after the inauguration of Jharsuguda Airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi September 22.
Hopes soared when AK Pathak, member (planning), Airport Authority of India, said the infrastructure of airports in Jeypore, Rourkela and Utkela are being developed with an investment of over Rs 100 crore. These three airports are expected to become operational by 2019, he said.
While the airport in Rourkela is likely to be functional by October-November this year, the airports in Jeypore and Utkela are expected to be operation-ready by March 2019, he said.
The Jharsuguda Airport was named after noted freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai after the State Assembly passed a resolution unanimously in this regard.
The Jharsuguda airport has been built over an area of 909.22 acres at a cost of Rs 175 crore of which the share of the state government is Rs 50 crore.
The airport has 1028 acres of land, almost equal to the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar. The airport can be developed for handling 20 million passengers in future, said Pathak. Even bigger planes like Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 can land at the airport, he added.
Recently, IAF’s Boeing 737 flight made first landing September 11 at Jharsuguda airport ahead of its formal inauguration by the Prime Minister.
Notably, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has granted a 4-C category licence to the Jharsuguda airport allowing it for operation of bigger planes.
PNN