Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is preparing to expand air connectivity from Bhubaneswar by introducing new flight routes, including services to key pilgrimage destinations such as Tirupati and Shirdi.

The move comes after flight operations on 11 routes were suspended in March, reportedly due to the state government’s decision to stop providing subsidies to airlines. As a result, several carriers withdrew services from these routes.

Now, in a renewed effort to boost tourism and improve connectivity, the state government has decided to support operations on 10 new routes. However, delays in obtaining necessary approvals have held up the official announcement on when these services will begin.

According to available information, four new routes from Bhubaneswar have been identified: Tirupati, Shirdi, Surat, and Bhopal.

The inclusion of Tirupati and Shirdi is aimed at catering to a large number of devotees from Odisha who currently rely on train travel to visit these religious centres.

Flights to Bhopal are expected to strengthen connectivity with central India, while the Surat route is intended to benefit the large Odia population residing there.

In addition, new flight services are being planned from Jharsuguda to Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Pune. Earlier, these routes were operated from Bhubaneswar by IndiGo.

The state government has decided to provide subsidies for all these routes. While it previously had an agreement with IndiGo for subsidised operations, it now plans to partner with Star Air. Discussions between the two sides have been completed, and a formal agreement is expected to be signed soon.