BJP MPs Urge Civil Aviation Minister to enhance Odisha's airport infrastructure

Bhubaneswar, Dec 20: A delegation of BJP Members of Parliament from Odisha, headed by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, met with Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu to discuss improvements to the state's airport infrastructure.

In their memorandum to Naidu, the MPs emphasized the need for a new terminal building at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar to accommodate increasing air traffic and passenger demand.

They also requested the second phase of development for Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda, the establishment of a new airport in Puri, and the upgrade of the Charbatia airstrip in Cuttack to a fully operational airport.

The memorandum highlighted that enhancing the Jharsuguda airport and constructing a new terminal at BPIA would significantly support the industrial growth of eastern India.

Additionally, the delegation called for the expansion of the Jeypore and Rourkela airstrips and the development of the Tusura airstrip in Balangir district.

The BJP MPs urged Naidu to consider including several locations under the Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme to enhance regional air connectivity. They proposed airports at Birasal in Dhenkanal, Hirakud in Sambalpur, Rangailunda in Ganjam, Paradip in Jagatsinghpur, Utkela in Kalahandi, Kalinganagar in Jajpur, Raisuan in Keonjhar, Padampur in Bargarh, and Rasgovindpur and Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj districts to meet the aspirations of the people of Odisha.