BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Tuesday approved 10 new flight routes, focusing on connecting Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda with key cities and developing regional airports.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level committee meeting presided over by chief secretary Anu Garg. These routes, likely to be operated by Star Air using smaller aircraft, prioritise destinations such as Tirupati, Surat, Bhopal and Shirdi.
Officials said the proposed routes include flights from Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda to Ahmedabad, Pune, Jaipur, Bhopal, Shirdi, Tirupati, Surat, Puri, Kolkata and Ujjain. The committee also discussed plans to upgrade airstrips at Satibhata, Jamadarpalli, Raisuan, Amarda Road and Gotma.
The state cabinet had recently approved Rs 4,182 crore B-MAAN (Building and Management of Aviation Assets and Network) scheme for 2025-30. The airstrips will be developed under the scheme for which over `500 crore has been approved. Besides, heliports are being developed in districts lacking air connectivity including Nabarangpur and Phulbani, and in Taratarini.
Officials said the initiatives, including the development of new airstrips and the expansion of existing airports in Jeypore and Tusura, are part of a larger plan to strengthen the aviation sector in Odisha.
The committee also decided to hold discussions with the Centre to expedite construction of the Shree Jagannath International Airport in Puri. Besides, expansion work of Jharsuguda and Rourkela airports will also be sped up by completing the land transfer process by May 2026. The meeting also decided to review the Odisha Civil Aviation Policy 2022 and bring out its second version. This will need the approval of the state cabinet.
The committee has directed to prepare a proposal to reduce VAT on aviation fuel to promote aviation in the state. This apart, stress was laid to develop the ‘Biju Patnaik Aviation Centre’ at Birasal in Dhenkanal district and operationalise the Malkangiri airport.