BHUBANESWAR: Jharsuguda airport will be made operational for regional connectivity services (RCS) under UDAN scheme by October. This was decided at a State-level coordination and monitoring committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Padhi here on Tuesday.
Target has been set to develop Jharsuguda airstrip to a full-phased one by April, next year. The airport is being developed under the joint aegis of AAI and Odisha Government. The State Government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AAI in July 2014 for developing an airport at Jharsuguda at an estimated cost of `210 crore.
Three other airstrips selected under UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme will take more time. While the State Government and AAI have requested authorities of Rourkela Steel Plant to make the airstrip ready for UDAN, they are yet to get a positive response. The other airstrips at Jeypore in Koraput district and Utkela in Kalahandi district need more infrastructure. Padhi asked the officials concerned to expedite the work to make the two airstrips flight ready within five months.
The State Government is providing both manpower and financial support to make the regional connectivity scheme viable during initial periods. It has already decided to reduce VAT from 5 percent to 1 percent and provide 20 per cent of the viability gap funding (VGF).Air 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 State Government has decided to provide subsidies and financial assistance for regional air connectivity as part of its Make in Odisha initiative.