Bhubaneswar: To cater to the needs of Odias based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Union Petroleum & Natural Gas, Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged the Centre for a direct flight between Bhubaneswar and Dubai.
In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Dharmendra said that only one direct international fight to Bangkok has been operating from Bhubaneswar since it was granted the International Airport status.
He said that more than 15,000 Odia people reside in different parts of the UAE and they are forced to fly through an indirect route to reach Odisha. “Odia Society of UAE had recently met GM Air India Middle-east and Africa regarding viability of a direct Air India flight between Bhubaneswar and Dubai,” he said.
Odisha is emerging as a growth-engine for Eastern India and hence, there was a need to improve direct international connectivity to the state’s capital city to further boost the region’s development prospects.
“Bhubaneswar is an educational, healthcare. cultural and tourist hub with rich potential for medical tourism, cultural tourism and educational exchange programmes. Further, for the welfare of commuters to and from Bhubaneswar – Dubai and for the larger potential for the development of Odisha, a direct flight between Bhubaneswar and Dubai, at the earliest, is needed,” he added.
