Airport Authority of India moots new international airport in Odisha

Project to be executed under PPP model; state asked to identify land plot

Keeping an eye on the rising air traffic in the country, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has proposed a new greenfield international airport in Odisha.

Due to certain limitations in the expansion of the Biju Patnaik International Airport, building a new airport is significant to handle the potential surge in air traffic in future.

The AAI has asked the state government to identify suitable land for the development of the new airport. The approximate land requirement for the new project is around 1,500-2,000 acres. The preferred location is in the vicinity of Bhubaneswar.

The airport proposed to be established within 20-30 km of Bhubaneswar, could be set up on the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

"After the state government identifies the land, we will do the technical feasibility study", said an AAI official.

The present airport has no scope for expanding the existing runway, stretching up to 2,742 meters. Wide-bodied planes are unable to land at the city airport. The new airport would be equipped to handle jumbo jets like Boeing 777 and Boeing 747," said the official.

Meanwhile, the Odisha government has stepped up its efforts to locate a suitable site for the proposed project.

"Our first priority is to identify suitable land. AAI has not spelt out investment plans for the proposed airport. There is a possibility of developing it on the PPP mode. This would be the airport for the future, catering to the traffic requirement of the state for the next 15-20 years and beyond", said a senior government official.

Acting on the proposal of the AAI, the state government has urged its land acquisition agency Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) to intimate the availability of land.

To attract foreign fliers, the state government had already reduced value-added tax (VAT) charge on aviation turbine fuel to zero for direct international flights from the state. However, despite the sop, the international airport has failed to attract operators, except Air Asia.

AirAsia, the low-cost airline has recently added Bhubaneswar to its list of destinations in India with four weekly direct flights from Kuala Lumpur.

The Centre had accorded an international status to the Bhubaneswar airport in October 2013. The Biju Patnaik Airport that belongs to AAI is suitable for operation of Code 'D' aircraft of type B-767-400. The airport is also equipped with facilities for night operations, besides offering an apron area allowing the parking of six aircraft and navigational aids.