In a bid to improve the runway capacity to launch a number of projects for flight operation from the Biju Patnaik International Airport here, the authorities are planning to construct a parallel taxi runway.
“We are facing lots of problems as we have no parallel taxi runway at the airport. Without two runways, it is impossible to take off and land the flights simultaneously. Even, we do not have a required size of land for constructing two runways at the airport,” said Bhubaneswar Airport Director Suresh Chandra Hota to the media.
“Therefore, we are planning to construct a parallel taxi runway connecting the runway. We have identified land, and the project work will begin soon,” he said.
“We require 150 meter-wide land in the north direction of the runway. So, we have taken initiative to remove encroachments in the area for an early start of construction. After completion of the project, the runway of the airport will turn 4D class from 4C class,” he added.
Hota informed that the runway would be expanded to 10,000 feet from 9,000 feet.
As the ATC is not permitting the airport authorities for landing a flight 10 minutes before another flight scheduled for taking off and even the flight scheduled to land at the airport is roaming in the air for a few minutes, they have decided to go in for a parallel taxi runway to avoid the inconveniences.
If the runway is wide and expanded, a number of firms in the aviation industry would be keen on operating flights to Bhubaneswar, he further said.
Currently, there are 29 flights operating 58 times daily. The numbers are expected to increase in the days to come.
The land required for a parallel taxi runway has been occupied by encroachers. The Government has assigned the BMC for eviction of around 136 families. A sum of Rs 6 crore has been allocated for rehabilitation of displaced people, said a senior official of the airport.