The State Government on Monday urged the Centre to include the Biju Patnaik International Airport here in the list of international airports in the Draft Aviation Policy. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik placed this demand in a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister A Gajapathi Raju as the Biju Patnaik International Airport was excluded from the international airports’ list.
“Despite the fact that the Union Cabinet had declared Bhubaneswar as an international airport, the Draft Policy does not provide for International Airport at Bhubaneswar,” Patnaik mentioned in the letter.
The Chief Minister informed that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the State Government have already spent public money on construction for the airport’s elevation. Expressing utter surprise at the Centre’s move, Patnaik said it is not understood why the Centre is not able to abide by its own decision of elevating Bhubaneswar airport into international one even after publishing it in the International Airport Notification in Extraordinary Gazette of India in November 14.
Stating that all facilities are already available and private carriers are willing to operate international flights, the Chief Minister said, “At this juncture, leaving Bhubaneswar out of the list of international Airports in the Draft Aviation Policy is surprising.” Justifying his claim, Patnaik said the six metros, which are proposed to act as hubs, will witness expansion of economic activity.
He also said as a manufacturing, commercial and tourist centre, Odisha needs urgent upgradation of its civil aviation infrastructure. “Therefore, developing the city as an important airlines hub would create significant business opportunities for everyone and give a new thrust to national development”, Patnaik pointed out.