Bhubaneswar: With uncertainty looming over newly-inaugurated Jharsuguda airport, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately restore UDAN flight operations.
He also apprised him of the fact that the Centre was yet to issue a notification with regards to naming the airport after Veer Surendra Sai Airport, as announced by Modi during the inauguration as a befitting tribute to the freedom fighter.
The Prime Minister had dedicated the airport to the nation and flagged an UDAN flight operated by Air Odisha on September 22.
“I may bring to your kind notice that Air Odisha has suddenly suspended its flight operations from Jharsuguda after October 6 without any valid reason. The abrupt suspension of the existing operations has given a severe jolt to the aviation sector in the state and has also hurt the sentiments of the people of western Odisha,” he said.
Naveen said he had requested the Centre to consider introduction of commercial flights in addition to the UDAN flights, to make it a full-fledged commercial airport.
“The state government is committed to provide all necessary fund and support for further expansion of the airport,” he said.
The Chief Minister urged the PM to direct Ministry of Civil Aviation for immediate restoration of UDAN flight operations and also explore the possibility of starting operations from Jharsuguda to other parts of the state and neighbouring states through any airlines, either under-RCS-UDAN or otherwise.
“I shall be grateful, if you may kindly instruct Air India to start the operation from Bhubaneswar to New Delhi via Jharsuguda so that people of western parts of Odisha can be benefited,” he added.
