Bhubaneswar: The Centre has approved Rs 2,100 crore for the development and expansion of Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Odisha's Jharsuguda, Bargarh MP and airport advisory committee chairman Pradip Purohit has said.

The proposed expansion aims to strengthen air connectivity in western Odisha, improve passenger facilities and enable the operation of larger aircraft. Both the Central and State governments are taking steps towards upgrading the airport's infrastructure, he said.

The process of acquiring 168.88 acres of land for runway expansion is underway. The airport is also targeting a 41.2 per cent increase in passenger numbers, while plans are being drawn up for a new terminal and additional infrastructure to handle growing air traffic, said the MP.

The proposals were discussed at a meeting of the airport advisory committee chaired by Purohit. Jharsuguda MLA Tankadhar Tripathy, officials from various departments and committee members attended the meeting.

More flights and new destinations proposed

The committee discussed a proposal to introduce a second morning flight between Jharsuguda and New Delhi to improve connectivity for passengers travelling to the national capital.

Direct flight services to Chennai, Jaipur and Visakhapatnam were also proposed. If implemented, these services could provide passengers from western Odisha with more travel options and reduce the need to depend on connecting flights through other cities.

More passenger amenities planned

The meeting also discussed several measures to improve passenger convenience at the airport. These include installing an ATM and opening a restaurant and food stalls within the airport premises.

A dedicated tourism information centre has also been proposed to provide travellers with information about tourist destinations, heritage sites and other places of interest in western Odisha.

To strengthen emergency preparedness, the committee stressed the need to deploy a dedicated ambulance at the airport for emergency medical services.

Expediting the land acquisition process was another key issue discussed at the meeting. The acquisition of 168.88 acres for runway expansion is expected to be an important step towards upgrading the airport's operational capacity.