BHUBANESWAR: The much-awaited direct international flight connectivity from Bhubaneswar to Dubai will take off from May 15. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday launched the sale of tickets marking the occasion of Utkal Dibas.
Dubai being one of the biggest travel hubs, the direct flight connectivity will open up new avenues for investment, trade and tourism. It will also offer multitude of options for leisure travelers from across the world, looking to visit Odisha.
Launching ticket sales at Naveen Niwas, the chief minister said connectivity is key to development and it has been a focus area of the Odisha government. “Direct connectivity with Dubai will open a direct gateway to the world. It will provide seamless connectivity and have a huge multiplier effect on investment in Odisha in sectors like IT, manufacturing and tourism,” he said.
Last June, when Naveen held his first overseas investors’ meet at Dubai, he had promised direct air link with the state. Sticking to his word, the Odisha government made a budgetary provision of `100 crore for viability gap funding for the project.
Two weeks after the launch of direct flight to Dubai, international flight operations will also commence to Singapore and Bangkok from Bhubaneswar.The sector connecting the trade hubs in South Asia is expected to give a huge fillip to the investor communities, tourists as well as economic travel options to Odia Diaspora.
Indigo had won the bid to operate direct flights to the three destinations. As per the agreement, the carrier will operate direct flights from Biju Patnaik International Airport to Dubai thrice a week. Inaugural ticket prices start at `10,000 per one way journey and `20,000 for a round trip. Each flight will have the subsidised tickets on a first-come-first-serve basis.
It is a one of its kind air linking project under which the state will bear the operational costs whereas proceeds from the tickets will go to the government which hopes to make it sustainable once occupancy rate picks up.
Naveen handed over first eight tickets to Mission Shakti women leaders, sportspersons, tribal leaders, Skilled-in-Odisha students and artists. A delegation from the state will take the first flight to Dubai.
The CM thanked the Centre and Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia for providing all facilitation services for the flight operations.
On the occasion, three Dubai-based women achievers from Odisha - captain Madhusmita Patnaik (pilot who flew stranded Odias from Sharjah to Bhubaneswar in 2020), artist Mona Biswarupa Mohanty and youngest scuba diver Tisya Panigrahi who celebrated Utkal Dibas near Burj Khalifa hailed the state government for the flight connectivity.