Patnaik demands naming of Jharsuguda airport after Veer

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has demanded naming Jharsuguda airport to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 22 after freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai.

In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu, the chief minister also sought steps to introduce commercial flights to Jharsuguda in view of its strategic location in the industrial and mining belt of Odisha.

Expressing happiness that the airport will be formally dedicated to the nation and that UDAN flight will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 22, Patnaik said the state government has been requesting that Jharsuguda Airport be named after Veer Surendra Sai, a well known freedom fighter of Odisha who hailed from the place.

"I would like to reiterate the request that the Government of India may consider naming the Jharsuguda Airport as Veer Surendra Sai Airport, which would be a befitting tribute to the legendary son of the soil," he said in the letter dated September 11.

Stating that Jharsuguda is located strategically in the industrial and mining belt of Odisha, Patnaik in his letter said "Keeping in view the growing importance of this city in Western Odisha, I would request you to kindly consider introduction of commercial flights to Jharsuguda."