With several renovation works of its airstrip nearing completion, Rourkela may soon emerge as a regular airport.
Significantly, after Rourkela was included in the UDAN scheme, the Airport Authority of India limited (AAIl) has taken up various renovation works of the airstrip.
Sources said the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), the owner of the airstrip, had earlier given no objection for operation of commercial flights from Rourkela from the existing infrastructure. A team of AAIl had inspected the airstrip and examined about the suitability of introduction of commercial flight services.
According to sources, a technical committee of AAIl had suggested a few renovations like development of lounge with passenger check- in and check- out facility, increasing the heights of existing boundary wall by at least 2 feet, a watch tower and some technical improvements in the airport control room.
“As the renovation work is nearing completion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being proposed between the AAIl and the RSP, which will finalise the modalities of operation of airport very soon,” said a senior RSP official.
Rourkela MlA Dilip Ray expressed his confidence that the airstrip is soon going to become a regular airport with air services to at least two towns like Kolkata and Bhubaneswar.