AAI plans 2nd airport in state

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) under the Union ministry of civil aviation will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa government very soon for the development of a second airport in the state at Jharsuguda.

"We have already submitted the draft MoU to the state government and discussed the matter with the Orissa Chief Secretary for the development of the proposed airport at Jharsuguda", said PK Singhal, executive director, AAI (eastern region). At present, the state has only one full-fledged airport in Bhubaneswar.

He, however, said the commencement and completion of the new airport depends on the availability of land from the state government. Around 90 acres of land was required for the development of the airport at the industrial town of in south Orissa.

AAI would invest about Rs 80crore in the first phase of the project while the investment in the second phase would depend on the traffic of the airport, he stated.

Singhal was here to inaugurate the residential colony for the employees of the Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) station. Singhal, however, ruled out any other proposal to develop or upgrade airstrips in the state to a full-fledged airport apart from Jharsuguda. “We have not received any other proposal from the government for the development of airport in the state apart from Jharsuguda", he said.

There are 16 airstrips and 12 helipads in the state for landing of aircrafts and helicopters.