Heritage city Puri to get ‘Greenfield Airport’ in two years' time

Heritage City Puri is all set to get a ‘Greenfield Airport’ soon. The ambitious project is likely to be operational in the next two years, informed Puri District Collector Samarth Verma.

The state government has already identified the 1,200 acres of land in Sipasarubali mouza for the international airport. But, there is an obstacle as a little portion of the proposed airport comes under forest and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) area.

“All the surveys related to the obstacles have been completed. Land acquisition has been done. We will file requisition to take the land in possession. The expert team from IDCO has visited the field and reviewed the progress of the work. Now, the techno economic feasibility work is on. It will also be completed very soon. The work will begin in full swing through bidding,” Collector Samarth Verma informed.

Expressing extreme satisfaction over the news, a servitor said, “A team of experts held a discussion with the District Collector today. The work should begin soon. It is a very ambitious project and will benefit thousands of devotees. It will also invite devotees from other countries. Now, instead of staying in Bhubaneswar, they can now come directly to Puri and stay here. This will also boost the hotel business in Puri.”

“This will bring development in Puri and increase the financial status of traders in Puri. This is indeed a very ambitious project of the government,” said a local resident Manoj Ratha.

Notably, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 1, 2022, regarding the setting up of a world-class Shree Jagannath airport in Puri.