Bhubaneswar: The Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda is set to become an all-weather airport with the Centre deciding to equip it with a new navigation facility.
The Airports Authority of India has decided to install an ‘instrument landing system’ at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore, to be up and running within the next six months.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Bhubaneswar Airport S C Hota, once the new system is put in place, flights can operate in low visibility and bad weather conditions.
The move comes in the wake of the airport witnessing flight cancellations in recent past because of heavy rain.
On July, 1, 4 and 5, flights of both Alliance Air and SpiceJet were cancelled as heavy rain and reduced visibility hampered operations at the airport. On July 1, a Jharsuguda-bound Alliance Air flight from Bhubaneswar failed to land in the industrial town and had to return to the Odisha capital, before being rerouted to Ranchi.
