Raisuan: The central government has taken major steps under Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAAN) to develop small aerodromes and airports across the country.
And Raisuan airstrip is one of them however its developmental work has been completely neglected. It may be mentioned here that this airstrip is said to be one of the oldest in the country.
Such neglect has hurt the sentiments of the people in the district.
Reports said Jharsuguda airport has been operational while development of other airports at Rourkela, Jeypore and Kalahandi is in progress; their work is expected to be completed within the deadline.
Mining and industrial experts pointed out that Raisuan airstrip is only 7 km from the Keonjhar town. The district is rich in terms of mineral reserves and industries. Both the state and central governments have been earning thousands of crores of rupees from mining and industrial sectors, but they have forgotten to pay right attention to the development of the Raisuan airstrip, which bears much importance to boosting faster communication to the economic pockets, they lamented.
73 years have passed since independence, but the district has been given short shrift in almost various sectors, except the mining and industries.
In view of the necessity of air connectivity for the mineral rich district, a proposal was sent to the central government to develop the airstrip January 21, 2016.
The public works department later conducted a survey and proposed the state government for acquisition of 22 acres of land for the airstrip development.
A plan was drawn up to develop it to a low cost airport. Then a delegation of the Airport Authority of India had visited the project area.
In 2011-12, Rs 1 crore was spent for raising a boundary wall around the airstrip. Besides, a runway of 920X30 sq m has been blacktopped. Thereafter, no progress has been done, locals alleged.
Notably, many prominent political bigwigs like Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Biju Patnaik and mining barons have landed and taken off from the airstrip.
Various quarters have demanded that both the state and central governments should adopt quick steps to make the airstrip full-fledged and operational in the larger interests of the mining and the industrial sector.