This was stated by Union secretary for Civil Aviation K N Shrivastava who met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here this evening. "The Ministry will place the proposal to convert Biju Patnaik Airport to an international airport in the union cabinet in March-April next year for approval," he told reporters.
Patnaik had earlier met the Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh in New Delhi seeking his support for making the city airport an international airport.
Shrivastava said the new terminal at the Biju Patnaik Airport will be completed by December and become functional from January, 2013.
During the discussion, Patnaik drew attention of Shrivastava about stop of Air India flight service from Bhubaneswar to Chennai and Kolkata. "I will take up the matter with the authorities of the Air India," the union secretary said.
The Union secretary said that process were on full swing for completion of Jharsuguda airport in Odisha. The state government had proposed to establish airports in Jeypore and Gopalpur, sources said.
