BHUBANESWAR: Jharsuguda airstrip is likely to become operational for flights from October this year under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik).
The issue was discussed at a high level meeting between Chairman of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) Guru Prasad Mohapatra and Chief Secretary AP Padhi at the State Secretariat here. Jeypore and Utkela airstrips will also be made operational from December. Mohapatra told mediapersons after the meeting that he had a detailed discussion with the Chief Secretary on construction of a parallel taxi track for Bhubaneswar airport and land required for this.
"Under the regional connectivity scheme, Jharsuguda will get connected towards October. We discussed parallel taxi track for Bhubaneswar airport and land requirement issues. The progress of Jeypore and Utkela airports which are being developed by the State Government under the regional connectivity scheme was also reviewed at the meeting," Mohapatra said.
Four airstrips at Utkela, Jeypore, Jharsuguda, and Rourkela has been included under the UDAN scheme for regional air connectivity. The Biju Patnaik International Airport here has also been included in the list for regional connectivity. The routes like Bhubaneswar to Utkela, Utklela to Raipur, Bhubaneswar to Jeypore, Bhubaneswar to Jharsuguda, Jharsuguda to Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar to Rourkela have been suggested for regional connectivity.
The UDAN scheme, which is being implemented in Odisha in joint collaboration between State and Central governments, would prioritise the unserved and underserved areas in the State. Under the regional connectivity scheme, the average price of a subsidised ticket for these flights would be kept affordable for common people with the subsidy to be borne both by the Central and State Government on 80:20 ratio.
An MoU was signed among Ministry of Civil Aviation, Odisha Government and AAI on March 1 to jointly implement the scheme.
