BHUBANESWAR: Operations of commercial flights between Bhubaneswar and Rourkela under the UDAN initiative started on Saturday. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off the first flight to Rourkela from the Biju Patnaik International Airport and said this new air connectivity will help Odisha and its people. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the flight through video conference.
The chief minister expressed his thanks and appreciation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support to improve connectivity to the hinterland of Odisha. “Glad to have flagged off the first flight to Rourkela airport. Thank PM Narendra Modi, for the support to improve connectivity to the hinterland of Odisha under UDAN. It will boost connectivity, commerce & tourism, fulfilling aspirations of people of the region,” he tweeted. He also thanked Scindia for all the efforts, especially to coordinate between SAIL and DGCA for the flight service to Rourkela airport ahead of the hockey World Cup 2023. It will offer seamless connectivity to the fans coming to celebrate hockey in Odisha, he said.
The flight service will help in communication between Bhubaneswar and Rourkela during the hockey World Cup which is being held in both cities from January 13 to 29. A 72-seater Alliance Air aircraft took off to Rourkela from the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.
Regular flight services on the route will start on January 12. Bhubaneswar to Rourkela fare is `2830 and the return fare is `2721. The flight will take off from Bhubaneswar at 02:55 pm every day and arrive at Rourkela at 03:50 pm. On its return journey, the flight will take off from Rourkela at 04:15 pm and arrive in Bhubaneswar at 05:10 pm.