Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 3:

Buoyed by the success of direct international flight to Kuala Lumpur from Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), the Odisha government today urged the Centre to grant permission for a direct international flight to Dubai from here.

Chief Secretary A P Padhi raised the issue during his interaction with the Central Cabinet Secretariat Coordination Secretary Asharam Sihag through video conferencing.

“Bhubaneswar-Dubai direct flight is a longstanding demand of ours. If that happens, passengers from Bhubaneswar can fly direct to US and Western European countries. This would help in industrialization, communication, and promotion of tourism in Odisha. Direct flights to and from Gulf is available from 18 places in India and Bhubaneswar is not one of those,” said Padhi speaking to reporters after his meeting with Sihag.

“Though they have not accepted the proposal immediately, they have assured us to consider it with seriousness,” he added when confronted by reporters about the Centre’s response towards the demand.

It may be recalled here that the state government has been urging the Centre ever since 2014 to grant permission to Fly Dubai to operate direct flights from Bhubaneswar to Dubai.

Padhi during the meeting also urged the Centre to expedite Paradip-Haridaspur railway project work so as to complete the project by March next year.

He said the state government has provided land free of cost and its share of funds for the project which was to be completed by December 16.