The State Government has urged the Centre to declare the airspace over the Puri Grand Road as no-flying zone during the upcoming Nabakalebar festival for safety reasons.
“Steps may be taken not to allow choppers or aircrafts to fly over the Bada Danda (Grand Road) on Nabakalebar festival days on July 18, July 26 and July 27 due to safety reasons,” GA Department Joint Secretary CR Patra wrote to the Director of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), New Delhi recently.
Copies of the letter were also sent to the Director of the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) and Director of the Air Traffic Control (ATC), Bhubaneswar.
In the letter, Patra quoted the recommendation of ADG of Odisha Police in charge of law and order in this regard and requested the BCAS Director to treat the suggestion as “extremely urgent.”
The Government seeks a temporary ban on flight operations over the Bada Danda as it is expecting an estimated 25 lakh people to witness the grand festival on each of the aforesaid days. While Gundicha Yatra (beginning of lord Jagannath and His siblings’ Rath Yatra) would be held on July 18, Bahuda Yatra (return sojourn) and Suna Besha (golden adornment) would be held on July 26 and July 27, respectively.