BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Government on Thursday initiated the process to bring back the iconic Dakota aircraft of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik which he had used to rescue erstwhile Indonesian Vice President Muhammad Hatta and Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir from their enemies in July 1947.
The DC3 aircraft is currently lying in a decrepit condition at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Kolkata.
After a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan here on Thursday, Special Secretary to Commerce and Transport department Manoj Mishra said an in-principle approval has been granted to approach the Centre to get back the aircraft.
“We will write to the Ministry of Civil Aviation soon for bringing back the aircraft, which is a pride of the State. Though no formal decision has been taken as to where the aircraft will be placed, it can be kept at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) for public display,” he said.
Although it was decided to get back the aircraft in 2018 following a communication from the Airport Authority of India and put on display as a relic associated with Biju Patnaik as part of the museum developed at his ancestral house ‘Anand Bhavan’ in Cuttack, no tangible step was taken by the Culture department thereafter.
If approved by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the aircraft will be dismantled as it is not possible to be transported in its current condition. It will be again refurbished for public display.
Earlier, heritage researcher and a member of INTACH Anil Dhir had also written to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik several times to take steps for getting back the Dakota aircraft, which was a prized possession of his father.
Biju babu, known for his daredevilry act and piloting acumen, had formed Kalinga Airline which had 15 Dakota planes at its headquarters at Kolkata. The airplanes were being used by the Army for transporting Jawans deployed in Kashmir and dropping supplies at north-eastern area of the country. Eviction of slums near OUAT for construction of parallel taxi track of BPIA, transfer of around 300 acre for Veer Surendra Sai Airport at Jharsuguda in two phases, acquisition of 184 acre for Rourkela Airport and 8.5 acre for Utkela Airstrip were also discussed at the meeting besides the licencing of Jeypore Airstrip.
Mishra said an inspection team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has visited Jeypore Airstrip on Thursday and expressed satisfaction over the work. “We hope to get the aerodrome licence soon,” he added.