JEYPORE: Flight operations are likely to start from Jeypore airstrip in Koraput district by the year end if everything goes as planned.
Commerce and Transport Secretary Madhusudan Padhi on Friday reviewed the airstrip expansion with district officials and said that Odisha government will apply for license to the Civil Aviation Ministry for operation of the airstrip by March. By the year end, around 19 chartered flights will operate from the airstrip, he informed.
"As the airstrip comes under the UDAN scheme for regional air connectivity, the Central government will give approval to airline operators after bidding," Padhi said. After reaching Jeypore, the Transport Secretary held discussions on progress of the runway and construction works, land acquisition, and technical aspects of the airstrip.
Officials of the Public Works department apprised Padhi about the current runway position and provided blueprint of the requirements for expansion work. "The administration has already acquired land for the expansion work. I will submit a report to the government on the status of the airstrip for further action," Padhi told mediapersons.
There is also a proposal to expand the runway from 1,500 metre to 2,300 metre. Jeypore airstrip will be the third in the State after Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda to get the airport tag from the Civil Aviation Ministry. Among others, Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati and Koraput Collector Md Abdal Akhtar were present.
Meanwhile, Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka raised the Jeypore airstrip issue in the Parliament on the day and sought to know reasons behind the delay in completion of operational works besides the steps taken in this regard.
In his reply, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said Jeypore airport has not been upgraded due to the delay in compliance of regulatory requirements and land acquisition for expansion of the runway.