JEYPORE: The trial run at Jeypore airstrip began on Wednesday with a nine-seater plane arriving at the airstrip from Bhubaneswar with four persons on board and later taking off back to the Capital.
The India One Air flight from Bhubaneswar took off at 10 am and landed in Jeypore airstrip at 11.40 am. Similarly, it departed from Jeypore airstrip at 12.40 pm on the day.
The upgradation work of the airstrip started three years back with plans to install new infrastructure and runway expansion from 915 metre to 1,200 metre. Though the work was completed a few months back, minor compliance issues on security was flagged by the district administration leading to a delay in making the airstrip functional.
In the third week of July, a three-member team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation visited the airstrip to oversee safety and security. Administration sources said regular flight services will begin only after all compliance norms are met.
Jeypore PWD executive engineer Bhaskar Chandra Samantray who has been supervising the upgradation work of the airstrip informed, “only after technical and safety clearances for landing and take off are received from the trial carrier, regular flight service will start here.”