Odisha has sought Centre’s intervention in the operationalization of Amarda Road Airstrip near Rasagobindapur in Mayurbhanj district under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN).
In a letter to Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said that the State government had requested the DRDO to provide ‘No Objection Certificate’ to use the airstrip for commercial flight operations under RCS-UDAN several times in the past. But since there has been no response till date, there is stalemate over flight operations.
In his letter, Mahapatra has highlighted that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has included Bhubaneswar-Amarda Road (Mayurbhanj) as a special RCS route under UDAN 4.1 on request of the State government. M/s Gsec Monarch has been selected as the airline operator for the said route with seven flights per week using a 9-seater aircraft.
“The northern part of Odisha is deprived of any kind of air connectivity and the existence of Amarda Road Airstrip near Rasagobindapur in Mayurbhanj district has a huge significance for the nearby places. It will facilitate tourism connectivity to important places like Similipal National Park, Kuldiha Sanctuary and Chandipur and Talsari Sea beach, facilitate economic growth through trade, provide jobs, increase revenues from taxes and foster the community relationship with neighbouring states and communities,” wrote Mahapatra.
Mahapatra has urged the Defence Secretary to issue the necessary instruction s to DRDO for use of Amarda Road Airstrip by the State government for flight operation under RCS-UDAN in the larger public interest and hoped that the organisation would issue NOC in this regard at the earliest.
Recently Union minister Bishweswar Tudu had expressed hopes that the Centre will give its nod for turning the now-defunct Amarda Road Airstrip in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, which was operational during World War II, into a modern airport.