Odisha prepares Rs 44-cr plan for Rangeilunda airstrip expansion

Berhampur: The state government has decided to expand the airstrip at Rangeilunda to facilitate landing of 40 to 70 seated turboprop aircraft. The existing airstrip with a 900-m runway is on 40 acre of land. Another 40 acre of land, 30 acre of private land is required to upgrade it to 1,874-m runway. A high-level official team led by special secretary (general administration) A K Meena visited the airstrip on Friday.
"The works department has prepared a detail project report (DPR) at Rs 44-crore, including Rs 14-crore for land acquisition.The project report was submitted to the government," said executive engineer, works department, Berhampur, P K Das. "We have asked the Ganjam district administration to start the land acquisition process soon," said Meena.
The state government will provide funds for land acquisition to the district administration. A culvert will be built on the nearby canal and the Berhampur-Gopalpur road diverted slightly.
Some private operators will be encouraged to run small planes from Rangeilunda to Bhubaneswar, Jeypore and other towns, sources said. At the same time he said the government would move the Centre to upgrade the airstrip to a mini-airport once the land acquisition is over.
Union civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapati Raju during his recent visit to Berhampur had said his ministry would take steps for the development of Rangeilunda airstrip to an airport, if the state government gives a proposal.