The Jharsuguda airport will be made operational for regional connectivity services (RCS) under UDAN scheme by next month.
This was decided in a State level Coordination and Monitoring Committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi on Tuesday Special Secretary General Administration and Civil Aviation Ashok Kumar Meena outlined the issues for discussion.
Chief Secretary Padhi advised Director General of Police Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma to depute officers for airport security and fire service training. Target was set to develop Jharsuguda air strip to a full phased airport by April, 2018 following a MoU signed with the AAI earlier. The Chief Secretary also directed to expedite the work of the development of the airstrips at Jeypore and Utkela and make those UDAN flight ready within five months.
Discussions in the meeting showed that five airstrips of Odisha were selected for UDAN scheme. These were Bhubaneswar airport, airstrips at Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Utkela ( Kalahandi) and Jeypore ( Koraput). From among these, the Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar would serve as mentor airport. From among other four, the Jharsuguda airport would be developed under joint aegis of the AAI and the Government of Odisha. Both the Government of Odisha and the AAI have requested the authorities of the Rourkela Steel Plant to make Rourkela air strip ready. The other airstrips at Jeypore and Utkela would be developed with funding from both the Odisha Government and the AAI.
It may be pertinent here to mention that Govt of Odisha is providing both the manpower and financial support to make the regional connectivity scheme viable during initial periods.
The State Government has decided to reduce VAT from 5 per cent to 1 per cent and provide 20 per cent of the viable gap funding. The State Government will also provide land, security and fire services.
Around 44 security personnel and 9 fire service personnel will be deployed in each airport. Apart from that, the State Government would also provide the manpower for management of airports of Jeypore and Utkela. The electricity and water would also be provided at minimum rate.
The routes like Bhubaneswar to Utkela, Utklela to Raipur, Bhubaneswar to Jeypore, Bhubaneswar to Jharsuguda, Jharsuguda to Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar to Rourkela have been suggested for regional connectivity. The State Government has decided to provide these subsidies and financial assistance for regional air connectivity as a part of its Make in Odisha initiative. It is expected that such subsidies and financial assistance will keep the ticket cost at affordable level.
Sources say the average price of a ticket to be paid by the passengers for these flights would be around Rs 2,500.