Shift the Bhubaneswar Airport in the best interest of the state

The Indian airports, which were located at one extreme end of the major cities of our country, are in the shifting mode. The air traffic has grown many folds with the growth in economy and the changed transport scenario. The latest examples are shifting of Hyderabad and Bengaluru to places away from the city limits. Chennai and Ahmedabad are now planning to shift their existing airports in the long term interest of their people.
Bhubaneswar, which has been made complacent with a bonsai airport so far, has moved a step closer to its dream of an international airport with the state government identifying over 2,000 acres of land, around 40 km south of the capital city, on National Highway 5 for it. As per reports published in a section of press, Khurda district administration has identified over 2,000 acres of government land near Jankia and Malipada villages. The survey work is going on. It is a welcome and statesmanlike landmark decision.
The land of around 20 villages, including Gayabandha, Malipada, Dalaka, Pota and Godipada, a large tract of cashew plantation belonging to the Orissa State Cashew Development Corporation, are being considered for the proposed international airport.
Khurda district administration sources say that the area has been considered for three main reasons. One, the government has a big patch of land available in the area. So the proposed airport would require minimum land acquisition and displacement. Secondly, the NH will provide good connectivity to the airport from the city. Thirdly, it will be a strategically located for Cuttack-Bhubaneswar urban complex as well as Puri and Berhampur.
24/06/11 Janakish Badapanda/Orissadiary.com

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Categories: Airports Jun 2011