Ganjam (Corresp.) : On the auspicious birthday of former CM of Odisha Biju Patnaik Hon’ble Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the the newly renovated Rangailunda airport. He gave green signal to a chartered flight from the air strip to Bhubaneswar. Earlier, Rangeilunda Airstrip was used only on handful occasions for flight operations during the arrival of dignitaries. M/s India One Air will operate Bhubaneswar – Rangeilunda route using a 9 seater small Aircraft. In future it will operate more seated aircraft on demand. After air connectivity it will attract tourists to reach Silk city Brahmapur & enjoy destinations like Chilika Lake, Tampara Lake, Gopalpur Beach, Rushikulya River, Tara Tarini Temple, Taptapani, Jeeranga the Buddha’s temple & many more. On this occasion Housing and Urban Development Minister Usha Devi, Labor Minister Shrikant Sahu, Aska MP Pramila Bisoye, Berhampur MP Chandra Shekhar Sahu, Berhampur MLA Bikram Kumar Panda, Chatrapur MLA Subash Chandra Behera, Kabisuryanagar MLA Latika Pradhan, District Collector Divya Jyoti Parida, Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M, BeMC Mayor, Deputy Mayor Vivek Reddy & other dignitaries present at Rangeilunda Airport to welcome the flight from Bhubaneswar.
According to source the district administration and R&B Authorities are trying their level best to fulfill the dream of the inhabitants of Ganjam the lifeline of Southern Odisha. The proposed 2-B category non scheduled 9 seated aeroplane will be worked out. In this regard the India 1 air craft company authority visited to Rangeilunda and some preliminary emergency services such as temarary terminal, Boundary wall Runway, black tap filling work, ticket counter and underground electrification work. But the air traffic signal control system has not been established yet. But the authorities concerned confessed that there is no need for the non scheduled 9 seated planes. In the primary stage the air bus will fly from BBSR to Rangailunda twice a week and vice versa but in the due course it will extend its services to different international airports such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakapatnam. The air Strip will be enhanced no 4 under Udan Yojana. It has been revealed that there is a runway of 890m and 150 m wide in 37 acres of land. It is enhanced to air Strip 2 B Category 18 seated flights can land and fly from this place for this an additional land of 90 acres is highly needed by which 1225 M × 190 M 1800 meters runway can be available for this 50 acres of land is needed out of which B.U spered 25 acres R & B dept. 4 Ac and irrigation dept. 4 Ac and another private land 17ACs land acquisition work is going on for which 92 crores of fund has been sanctioned out of which 42 crores is meant for pvt land acquirement and 50 crores for the construction of airport. The district administration Berhampur sub collector, Kanishi Tahsildar, Rangeilunda BDO assured the settlement of the roadside business man and the inhabitants of Sitapada in the Govt land by constructing market complex for their living and livelihood. The related extension and development work of widening the roads and other relevant works will be completed in the end of 2023. The attempts of both the state govt and central government are praise worthy.
The residents of South Odisha have enthusiastically welcomed this auspicious opening today.