ROURKELA: In a significant development, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has recently finalised tender for construction of new apron and taxiway for commercial operation of ATR-72 type aircraft at the Rourkela airport.
The tender, as per letter of the Joint General Manager of AAI at Kolkata dated June 4, has been finalised at a cost of Rs 5.69 crore in favour of a Ranchi-based firm.
Sources said, the completion target is within six months. Owned by Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of SAIL and run by the AAI under an agreement, the airport aims to develop new apron and taxiway and also plug other infrastructural deficiencies to convert it from Code 2B to Code 3C airport, and enable commercial operation of ATR-72 type aircraft by the year end under Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN.
Steel Executives’ Federation of India (SEFI) general secretary and RSP Executives’ Association (RSPEA) president Bimal Bisi said the infrastructure development of the airport is moving in the right direction with collective efforts of RSP, SAIL, AAI and the State government.
“Tender is in process for construction of the terminal building, for about 200 persons, at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 25 crore, while efforts are underway to expand the present runway from 1.8 km to 2.6 km which requires additional 146 acre at Sector-13. Nearly Rs 60 crore has been earmarked for further development of the airport,” Bisi added. Commercial operations from the Rourkela airport are expected to take off by year end.
Home guard among 6 held for ganja smuggling
Jeypore Sadar police on Friday arrested six persons including a home guard for smuggling ganja from Koraput to Uttar Pradesh.
The accused are home guard of Kotpad police station Akshya Swain, Brajendra Brahma of Dhamanahandi village, Biswanath Bhandari of Erapali, Sundar Harijan of Sutipadar and Umasankar Singh and Tejbahadur Singh of UP.
Acting on a tip off, police intercepted a container truck and found 438 kg of ganja inside it. Two persons were arrested in this connection.
Further investigation revealed that the contraband was supplied by some locals and being taken to UP. Subsequently, police raided several places in Jeypore and Kotpad and arrested the other four accused including home guard Akshya. Police seized the container truck, a car, six mobile phones and Rs 9 lakh from the accused.