The members of the Odisha Development Forum in a virtual meeting on August 30 deliberated on establishing an airport in Brahmapur.
The members expressed their displeasure on the negative approach, negligence and step-motherly attitude of the Odisha Government for the establishment of airport.
They said the expansion of Rangeilunda Airstrip was initiated by the Department of Civil Aviation in 2008 and the Central Government included Brahmapur in the list of 49 low cost airports.
CM Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone for a domestic airport in Brahmapir in 2016.
Former Union Civil aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju had promised for the establishment of a domestic and cargo airport in Brahmapur during his visit in 2016.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also wrote to Union Minister of Civil aviation in 2020 for the establishment of the airport.
The forum members said Brahmapur city deserves for a domestic airport but it is quite unclear why the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Odisha Government have never taken interest to establish the same in the city.
They urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Odisha Government to consider the decades old demand of Ganjam people for the establishment of an airport and warned to resort to agitation if further dillidallying was maintained.
Ram Prasad Tripathy, Babita Patro, Swarajya Sahu, Laxminarayan Padhy, Ajaya Sahu, Raj Abhisekh, Prakash Pradhan, Akshya Dalai and others participated in the meeting.