Industries, yet no airport: up date about Jharsuguda airport from The Statesman
August 22, 2010 at 6:12 pm sanjibkarmee 1 comment
Following report is from The Statesman:
SIR, ~ Jharsuguda in Orissa is emerging as one of the economic hubs of India. It has many industrial units like Ultratech Cement of the Aditya Birla Group at Dhutra, SMC Power Generation Ltd, Action Ispat Ltd, Eastern Steel and Power Ltd, SPS Steel and Power Ltd, Utkal Alumina International Ltd, etc. It has recently been reported that the town is set to register the maximum production of electricity.
Parallel with the industrial development, Jharsuguda has been witness to the migration of workers from all over India. To cater to this need, an airport is essential. The airstrip was built during World War II. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to upgrade the airstrip to a full-fledged airport. The Orissa government has decided to opt for a public-private partnership (PPP). The Kolkata-based finance company, called SREI, has been negotiating with the government, but nothing has materialised.Recently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told the Assembly that AAI had asked for 815 acres of land free of cost. The state has requested AAI to scale down the requirement as only 734 acres are available near the airport.
As the controversy rages, one wonders whether passenger planes will ever land or take off from Jharsuguda. The Orissa government should provide the land that AAI has sought. If the government can acquire land for building industries and dams, why can’t it do the same for an airport in an industrial town. Neighbouring Andhra Pradesh will soon have two international airports.
Yours, etc., Sanjib Kumar Karmee, Delft (the Netherlands), 20 August.
Entry filed under: Infrastructure, Infrastructure and Industry, Jharsuguda, Jharsuguda Airport, Region watch.
Kosal Discussion and Development Forum 
1.
Vikram | January 20, 2011 at 6:48 am
See Orissa MP are useless wdf they are doing at parliament.
Jharsuguda airport is proposed almost 3 years back but not improvement so far. Kerala which has same lok sabha seat as orissa has far more Airport than orissa and are in good condition.
Odisha MP can’t create pressure group at parliament.It seems under Navin Pattanaik Development is happening only on the paper not at reality.Delay in the various project forcing MNC to invest elsewhere than in orissa.