Despite efforts by the Odisha Government to develop infrastructure of the Biju Patnaik International Airport here and expand it, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) seems to stick to the demand for over 64 acres of land required for expansion of the airport.
According to reports, the AAI requires 64 acres for expansion of the Bhubaneswar international airport. It has strictly asked the State Government to allot the land or else it can look for another substitute.
Although, the Government agreed to provide 47 acres, the AAI is reluctant to carry out the expansion project subject to the availability of all the land.
It was revealed at a high level meeting attended between AAI Chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra and Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi on September 1.
However, as per the Government plan, land belonging to the OUAT will be handed over to the AAI for airport expansion by allotting that quantity of land to the university in other location. The Government is also planning to evict a slum built in the area and rehabilitate the people in Bharatpur area with a compensation amount of Rs 1.89 crore.
However, Mohapatra rejected the Government’s plan and proposal. He said that the runway can be expanded up to 1,000 mt only if the required land is got. He also described the difficulties faced during landing of the Boeing flights on the tiny runway. Sources said that the minimum length of a runway of the international airport should be 1,100 mt for landing of the Boeing flights.