Bhubaneswar: International air cargo will start from Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar on January 27 on the International Customs Day.
Briefing media persons after a joint meeting in the office of the Director, Airport Authority of India (AAI), here today, Deepak Arora, Commissioner, Customs, Bhubaneswar said for this purpose, public notice is already in place.
“AAI has already earmarked a hall adjacent to the domestic air cargo terminal for the purpose of international air cargo terminal,” he added.
The meeting was presided over by LN Gupta, Principal Secretary, State MSME Department, who has been following the matter consequent upon requests from various MSME exporters and trade stakeholders.
On follow up, AAI has accorded concurrence to its Bhubaneswar office to become custodian of the international air cargo terminal.
Representatives of various export associations like Seafood, Agro Food Processing Industries, Handloom and Handicrafts exporters, spice exporters etc present at the meeting, said it will be highly beneficial for the industry and trade to get the facility of dispatching of cargo from Biju Patnaik International Airport instead of the current practice of sending cargo by road via Hyderabad or Kolkata.
Representatives of different airlines like Indigo, Vistara and Air India were asked to come up with a schedule at the earliest possible for dispatching cargo to various international destinations in Middle East, Far East, European countries as per the requirements of exporters within 7 days both for the perishable and non-perishable items.
Among others, R Mahalingam, Airport Director, Bhubaneswar, Girish Sharma, Joint General Manager (Cargo), AAI (Eastern Region), Kolkata, Director, Export Promotion and Marketing, BK Das and representatives of different airlines and exporters were present at the meeting.