Development of Jharsuguda airport to be completed by June 2018

Bhubaneswar, Aug 9:

The development of Jharsuguda airport in Odisha will be completed by June 2018, an official said on Tuesday.

Taking a review meeting, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi directed the Airport Authority of India (AAI), Jharsuguda District Collector and other officials to complete all the defined works within the scheduled time.

Padhi said that Jharsuguda Airport is being developed through joint funding from AAI and the Government of Odisha.

The state government had signed an agreement with AAI on July 30, 2014, to develop the airstrip at an estimated cost of Rs 210 crore to make it the state’s second largest operational airport, after Biju Patnaik International Airport.

While the state government would put in Rs 75 crore, AAI would provide the remaining Rs 135 crore to develop the airport, said an official.

AAI has been handed over 106.23 acres of land out of which 51.8 acres is government land, and 54.43 acres is private land. Stage-1 clearance has been obtained for 9.6 acres of forest land, the official said.

The tender has been awarded for works like construction of pavement, passenger terminal building, service block, ATC tower and staff quarters. (IANS)