Legendary Biju Patnaik’s Iconic Dakota Aircraft To Be Showcased In Bhubaneswar This Year

Bhubaneswar: In its bid to put the iconic Dakota aircraft of legendary Biju Patnaik on display in the capital city, the state government has floated a tender to bring after dismantling it this year.

According to official sources, the agency will dismantle the aircraft, presently parked in the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata, and bring the parts to Bhubaneswar on road. After assembling the parts again, the aeroplane will be kept at a prominent place in the city.

“The tendering process is on and we expect the aircraft to arrive by the end of this year. We have already received necessary clearances from the Directorate General of Commercial Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Some security clearances will be required on the ground for the team that dismantles the aircraft as it is parked close to the taxiways of Kolkata airport,” a news agency quoted a senior official of the Odisha government as saying.

“The work will also have to be carried out carefully, so as not to disrupt any services at the busy airport. Space for the aircraft has already been selected in Bhubaneswar. We will create a base for it there. Once the portions arrive, some time will be required to carry out structural repairs before reassembly. The aircraft will then be painted,” he added.

For his act of rare bravery and saving the lives of two prominent leaders of the country, the Indonesian government did declared him ‘Bhoomi Putra’ and instituted ‘Kalinga Prize’ in his honour.