Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government on Thursday initiated the process to bring back the iconic Dakota aircraft of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik which he had used to rescue erstwhile Indonesian Vice President Muhammad Hatta and Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir from their enemies in July 1947.
The DC3 aircraft is currently lying in a decrepit condition at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Kolkata.
After a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan here on Thursday, Special Secretary to Commerce and Transport department Manoj Mishra said an in-principle approval has been granted to approach the Centre to get back the aircraft.
“We will write to the Ministry of Civil Aviation soon for bringing back the aircraft, which is a pride of the State. Though no formal decision has been taken as to where the aircraft will be placed, it can be kept at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) for public display,” he said.
Although it was decided to get back the aircraft in 2018 following a communication from the Airport Authority of India and put on display as a relic associated with Biju Patnaik as part of the museum developed at his ancestral house ‘Anand Bhavan’ in Cuttack, no tangible step was taken by the Culture department thereafter.
If approved by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the aircraft will be dismantled as it is not possible to be transported in its current condition. It will be again refurbished for public display.
17/01/20 New Indian Express
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The DC3 aircraft is currently lying in a decrepit condition at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Kolkata.
After a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan here on Thursday, Special Secretary to Commerce and Transport department Manoj Mishra said an in-principle approval has been granted to approach the Centre to get back the aircraft.
“We will write to the Ministry of Civil Aviation soon for bringing back the aircraft, which is a pride of the State. Though no formal decision has been taken as to where the aircraft will be placed, it can be kept at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) for public display,” he said.
Although it was decided to get back the aircraft in 2018 following a communication from the Airport Authority of India and put on display as a relic associated with Biju Patnaik as part of the museum developed at his ancestral house ‘Anand Bhavan’ in Cuttack, no tangible step was taken by the Culture department thereafter.
If approved by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the aircraft will be dismantled as it is not possible to be transported in its current condition. It will be again refurbished for public display.
17/01/20 New Indian Express
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