The Samikhsya Bureau
BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s demand for an international airport at Puri has yielded positive response from the Union Government.
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has been asked by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to conduct a feasibility study for the proposed airport.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri stated this in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
In his reply to a question by Rajya Sabha member Sujit Kumar, the Minister said that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has requested the Centre for establishment of Sri Jagannath International airport at Puri.
The State Government has also identified land for the site near the town, he added.
Following the Chief Minister’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 1, a meeting was held by the Union Civil Aviation Secretary on January 12 in which officials of Odisha Government, AAI and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation deliberated on the proposed project.
“AAI was asked to carry out pre-feasibility study of the site based on the data provided by the State government,” the Minister clarified.
