Bhubaneswar Airport's Expansion Plan Failed
Bhubaneswar Airport's Expansion Plan Failed
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Bhubaneswar: The state government's efforts to transform the city's Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) into a world-class airport have failed after the Airport Authority of India (AAI) decided to put the expansion plan on hold.
In 2013, the AAI developed a proposal for the airport's development, for which the BPIA asked the state government to contribute 64 acres of land. The runway would have been extended from 9000 to 10,500 feet to accommodate special cargo flights and large jets such as the Boeing 777 and Boeing 747, according to the design.
According to BPIA officials, the AAI has abandoned its growth plans due to a lack of land. “Because the existing runway is sufficient for commercial aeroplane operations, AAI has prioritised infrastructure and passenger service growth. They claimed, "It will announce the cancellation of the expansion project very soon."
The BPIA authorities also stated that a parallel taxi track near the runway is being built as part of the infrastructure expansion. With the implementation of this track, planes will not have to wait as long on the runway for takeoff, and the frequency of landings will improve.
The re-carpeting of the current runway, however, has yet to commence, they claimed.
The state government had identified tracts of land in Khurda district's Malipada, Jankia, Tangiapada, and Badasahi in December 2017 for the creation of a greenfield airport project where Code-E or wide-bodied aircraft like the Boeing 777 and 747 could land.
However, no further progress has been made since then, as neither the government nor the AAI have held any meetings.
