Bhubaneswar: The proposed airport in Puri will be made operational by FY 2022-23, Odisha transport minister Padmanabha Behera Sunday said.
“If everything goes smoothly as the government had previously chalked out, it is very likely that after completion of the futuristic project, services from Puri Airport will commence from financial year 2022-23,” Behera informed briefing media persons.
Also read: Cannabis weighing around 7.8 quintal seized in Rayagada district, six arrested
“We are already in the process of identifying land for the airport. It will be finished soon. The second wave of Covid-19 outbreak posed a major hurdle in executing the plans. Like Jharsuguda Airport which was made operational last year, work on other airstrips would also have started if the pandemic had not hit us,” Behera said.
The government, apart from constructing a new airport at Puri, also has plans to upgrade existing airstrips in Odisha. “We are also assisting the Central government to commence flight services from Rourkela, Utkela airstrip in Kalahandi and Jeypore airstrip,” the minister added.
PNN