Puri: The Odisha government’s plan for Shree Jagannath International Airport in Puri got a major push with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) according the final environmental clearance to the project, removing a major hurdle in its implementation.
The greenfield airport is proposed to be developed over 471.348 hectare area at Sipasarubali in the district. The proposed airport project has received both EC and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance from the ministry, according to Puri collector Dibya Jyoti Parida.
Forest-related issues pertaining to the project have been cleared and they are now waiting for the final approval from the ministry to go ahead with the project.
Sources said the state government now awaits an NOC from the ministry, while it will also move the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for its approval to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) to take up construction work of the airport.
Steps for commencement of construction work for the project will be taken in coordination with the AAI and the Transport department authorities, the collector said.
The project had earlier received Stage-1 EC from the MoEFCC on April 4, which was crucial to fast-track the ambitious project. In June last year, the ministry had given in-principle approval after the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recommended environmental clearance on May 6.
Armed with the final EC, the authorities can go ahead with the construction as required forest land formally becomes part of the project. Stage-1 clearance had come with certain conditions, which have now been fulfilled for obtaining the final clearance, officials said
The airport is proposed to be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 5,631 crore, with a passenger-handling capacity of 4.6 million per annum. Officials said that of the total land required for the runway, 3.427 hectares is forest land, while 0.037 hectare of forest land is required for the passenger terminal building.
