BHUBANESWAR: In a big boost to the state government’s plans for establishment of Sri Jagannath International Airport at Puri, the ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has granted site clearance approval for the project.The clearance was obtained exactly a year after the government submitted all requisites to the ministry seeking clearance to set up the airport in accordance with the Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008.
While granting the clearance, sources said, the MoCA has asked the state government to proceed with preparation of detailed project report (DPR) for grant of ‘in-principle’ approval. The state will have to submit its application along with the DPR for in-principle approval of the steering committee on greenfield airports within two years.
As per initial estimates, the airport will be built at a cost of around Rs 5,631 crore. The Puri district administration has already started the process for acquiring around 1,164 acre of land including 68 acre of forest and 221.48 acre private in Sipasarubali and Sandhapur under Brahmagiri tehsil. The private land required for the project include 153.37 acre in Sipasarubali and 68.11 acre in Sandhapur. However, no rehabilitation and resettlement is required as the land parcels are free of human habitations.
“The project proposal was submitted after identification of land and favourable obstacle limitation surfaces (OLS) survey. Public hearing for acquisition of private land has been completed. The process is also on for conversion of some government land. The site clearance approval was awaited. Now, the other processes will be expedited,” said an official associated with the project.For in-principle approval, the government is also required to complete necessary formalities with all regulatory bodies and government agencies. If everything is completed on time, sources said, construction work can start as early as next year.
As Puri is being developed into a world-class heritage city and Biju Patnaik International Airport at Bhubaneswar has reached its design capacity limit, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021 to set up the international airport keeping in view of high tourist footfall in the pilgrim city in future. During his visit to New Delhi in May this year, Naveen again requested the PM for his intervention to expedite the process.
Later in the same month, while addressing the inauguration of Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat train which was flagged off by Modi, Naveen had invited the PM to inaugurate the airport once it is ready with his support within three to four years.