Odisha Invites Global Bids For Puri Airport Construction

In a significant move ahead of the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha, the Naveen Patnaik government has opened global bids for the construction of the airport in Puri at an estimated cost of Rs 2,203 crore.

This is the first time the Odisha government has invited global bids for the construction of the Shri Jagannath Puri Airport, a project considered a major promise to the people by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The airport project received site clearance approval from the Centre recently after Chief Minister Patnaik's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi last October. On 22 February, the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) initiated the process by inviting global bids for the development, operation, and maintenance of the 'Sri Jagannath International Airport' under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

As per reports, interested parties have until 20 April to submit their bids. The first phase of the project, with a traffic design capacity of 4.6 million passengers per annum, is estimated to cost Rs 2,203 crore.

The bid document highlights the airport's potential to enhance air connectivity and boost tourism and industrialization in the region. It emphasises the airport's role in connecting cities like Puri, Jagatsinghpur, and Brahmapur to the global aviation network, thus fostering economic development.

Additionally, the proposed Shri Jagannath International Airport (SJIA), located at Sipasarubali village in Puri district, is expected to address capacity constraints at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar, particularly for international operations. It will serve as a gateway to Western Odisha, a significant industrial hub in the state.

The document underscores the necessity of the new airport in light of the capacity constraints at BPIA, which has reached its peak capacity. It predicts a phased shift of passengers from BPIA to Puri Airport to accommodate future air traffic growth.

With lakhs of pilgrims visiting the Shri Jagannath Puri shrine annually, the new airport is poised to significantly enhance air connectivity and cater to the growing demand for air travel in the state. As the bidding process unfolds, stakeholders eagerly anticipate the development of this crucial infrastructure project, which promises to transform the aviation landscape in Odisha.