State Tourism Minister Ashok Panda on Thursday met three Union Ministers and the chiefs of Indigo Air and Air India to push for international flight operations from the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar to Dubai and Bangkok on the eve of the Nabakalebar festival. Panda met Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Panda and Pradhan later had a meeting with the chief of Indigo Air.
Panda specifically requested for an extension of the Mumbai-Dubai Air India flight and Kolkata-Bangkok Indigo flight to Bhubaneswar. He informed about the preparedness of the airport and infrastructure to handle international flights. Minister Raju informed Panda that steps are being taken to extend the Air India flight to Bhubaneswar and a survey is already underway in this regard.
Indigo officials asked for a complete tax waiver from fuel by the State Government to be able to start operations. Panda has assured he would take it up with the Chief Minister. It may be noted that the State Government has been repeatedly lobbying for international flights after the Bhubaneswar airport got its international status. It has been pointing out that the State’s tourism sector will be heavily affected if the flights are not started before the Nabakalebar.