Bhubaneswar/Malkangiri, January 9: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday inaugurated the Malkangiri airport in the southwestern part of Odisha, which was once a Maoist hotbed.
“I am very glad to inaugurate Malkangiri Airport, a dream come true for people of the district which has now been placed on the aviation map of the country,” said Patnaik.
Patnaik said, “The airport adds a new chapter in Malkangiri’s transformational journey to further accelerate the pace of trade, tourism and commerce.”
Spread over an area of 233 acre, the airport is located in Katelguda in Goudaguda panchayat area. It has been developed at a cost of Rs 70 crore, and has a 1620-meter long and 30-metre wide runway.
In the first phase, nine-seater aircraft are likely to operate from the airport.
With this, the number of operational airports in the State has gone up to seven. The other six are located in the State capital of Bhubaneswar, Jharsuguda, Jeypore in Koraput district, Utkela in Kalahandi district, Rourkela in Sundergarh district and Rangeilunda in Ganjam district.
With the new airport being dedicated, the journey from Bhubaneswar to Malkangiri can be completed in just two hours. Earlier, it would take 14-16 hours by road.
The authorities of the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar have provided necessary technical assistance for operationalisation of the Malkangiri airport.
