President Droupadi Murmu’s home district to have airport, gets MoD nod
The state government has received the Defence Ministry’s approval to revive a World War II-era airfield lying defunct at Rasgovindpur near Amarda Road, around 45 km from the district headquarters.
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President Draupadi Murmu. (Source: Twitter/Rashtrapatibhvn)Odisha’s Mayurbhanj, the home district of President Droupadi Murmu, will finally have a functional airport.
The state government has received the Defence Ministry’s approval to revive a World War II-era airfield lying defunct at Rasgovindpur near Amarda Road, around 45 km from the district headquarters.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) granted its ‘working permission’ to the state to develop the airstrip on 160.35 acres of land belonging to the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), The Indian Express has learnt.
According to the MoD letter, a copy of which has been marked to Odisha chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, the state has to pay the Ministry a compensation of Rs 26 crore.
According to historians, the airstrip was built by the British during World War II and used as a forward airfield until the war ended in 1945. It has been defunct ever since.
The Naveen Patnaik-led government had requested the MoD to instruct the DRDO to issue a no-objection certificate for the airstrip to be revived for flight operations under the Centre’s regional connectivity scheme (RCS-UDAN).
When functional, the airport will ensure air-connectivity to Odisha’s northern parts, particularly to tourist spots such as Similipal national park and Kuldiha sanctuary, besides Chandipur and the Talsari sea beach.
“The dream of the people of Odisha is going to be fulfilled,” said Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs, Bishweswar Tudu, who also belongs to Mayurbhanj.
Tudu, who expressed gratitude to PM Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the working permission, had been following up with the Defence and Civil Aviation ministries for revival of the airstrip.
A senior official said the airstrip will also facilitate economic growth.” It will increase trade, revenue, provide jobs, and foster community relationships with neighbouring states like West Bengal and Jharkhand,” the official said.
On request of the state government, the Union ministry of civil aviation has included Bhubaneswar-Amarda Road as a special RCS route under UDAN 4.1.
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