Odisha Transport Minister Padmanabh Behera said on Sunday said that Puri Airport is likely to be operation next year. Air services from Puri are likely to commence by 2022-23 as work to establish an International Airport has begun, said Behra.
“The process for the establishment of a new airport at Puri has already started including the process for identification of land and other steps. There are many things to work out for. If everything goes on time as we have planned, it is very likely to see air service from Puri by 2022-23,” Behera was quoted in an ANI report saying.
The Minister further told that the State Government is continuously holding discussion with Aviation Ministry and it’s experts on this matter.
Meanwhile last month, a six-member technical team of Airport Authority of India (AAI) approved the 1,500 acre land, identified by the district administration at Girala village on the outskirts of Puri town, for the proposed international airport.
The team, which is on a two-day visit to the pilgrim town, visited all the four sites of Girala and Sipasarubali on the town’s western side as well as Samagara and Baliguali on the eastern end. Sub-Collector Bhabataran Sahu along with other revenue staff accompanied the team. Collector Samarth Verma said that team has approved the land at Girala and will hold talks with the government in this regard.
For the unversed, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 1, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had sought the establishment of an international airport, named after Lord Jagannath, at Puri.
