Rourkela: Former legislator of Rourkela Dilip Ray has urged chief minister Naveen Patnaik for making commercial flights operational in the city to facilitate communication of players and fans for Hockey World Cup 2023.
Thanking the chief minister in a letter for announcing to set up a hockey stadium of international standard and lay synthetic turf in each of 17 blocks of Sundargarh Ray said it will give a boost to the sports ecosystem in the region.
Since international teams will visit Rourkela during the World Cup, it is necessary to make adequate arrangements to develop the city. Projects under the Smart City will give a modern makeover to the city on completion.
Stating that the expansion of the runway would qualify the Rourkela airport to handle 72 or more-seater aircraft, he said other necessary steps should be taken on urgent basis to make the commercial flights operational at the airport.
Rourkela along with Bhubaneswar will host the prestigious FIH Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup India in 2023.
On Thursday, the chief minister announced that a world class hockey stadium with a sitting capacity of 20,000 would come up in Rourkela city.
