Airport Authority of India to introduce new international airport in Odisha
Considering the rising air traffic in the country, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has proposed a new greenfield international airport in the state of Odisha. Because of certain limitations in the expansion of the Biju Patnaik International Airport, building a new airport is considerable to handle the potential surge in air traffic in the future.
Therefore, the AAI has asked the state government to identify suitable land for the development of the new airport. The approximate land requirement for the new project is around 1,500-2,000 acres. The preferred location is in the vicinity of Bhubaneswar. The proposed airport to be established within 20-30 km of Bhubaneswar and could be set up on the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
“After the state government identifies the land, we will do the technical feasibility study”, said an AAI official. The present airport has no scope for expanding the existing runway, stretching up to 2,742 meters. Wide-bodied planes are unable to land at the city airport. The new airport would be equipped to handle jumbo jets like Boeing 777 and Boeing 747,” said the official.
Acting on the proposal of the AAI, the state government has urged its land acquisition agency Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) to intimate the availability of land. Meanwhile, the Odisha government has stepped up its efforts to locate a suitable site for the proposed project.
To attract foreign fliers, the state government had already reduced value-added tax (VAT) charge on aviation turbine fuel to zero for direct international flights from the state. However, despite the sop, the international airport has failed to attract operators, except Air Asia.
AirAsia, the low-cost airline has recently added Bhubaneswar to its list of destinations in India with four weekly direct flights from Kuala Lumpur.
You might also like
Le Palais gets three stars in the MICHELIN Guide Taipei 2018
Michelin is pleased to unveil the selection for the very first MICHELIN Guide Taipei, which selects a total of 110 total establishments, spanning 33 cuisine types, including 20 restaurants awarded
Kerzner International names Michael P. Wale as Chief Executive Officer
Kerzner International Holdings, the owner of the iconic Atlantis Resort and Residences and ultra-luxury One&Only Resorts brands worldwide, has announced the appointment of Michael P. Wale as its new Chief
Sustainability, the deciding factor for millennials in India looking for a holiday
On the eve of the World Environment Day, Cox & Kings Ltd released its study that assesses ‘Young Indian’s demand for Sustainable Tourism and its perception of a Green Holiday’.
