Expansion work of Rangeilunda Airstrip near here would begin from October this year, informed an officers’ team that visited the site on Friday.
The team comprising Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s Special Secretary Ashok Kumar Mina, Civil Aviation Director SP Mohanty and Works Secretary Nalinikant Pradhan visited the land to be acquired for the expansion. The land includes 50 acre of Government land and 30 acre of private land.
While the airstrip now covers 975 metre in length and 130 metres in width, it would be expanded to 1,875 metre and 210 metre in length and width, respectively.
“The airstrip expansion work would be undertaken at a total cost of Rs42.77 crore to be borne fully by the State Government. Flights will start operating from October 2017,” said Mina.
Mina further informed that the General Administration Department has provided Rs5 crore in the first phase and the tender process would begin from July. Private land in Gobinda Nagar area under Karapalli gram panchayat would be acquired.