With Odisha gradually emerging as an industrial hub of eastern region, the state government today decided to increase runway length of at least four more airstrips to facilitate landing of big aircrafts.
The airstrips which have been identified to get long runway are Rangeilunda in Ganjam district, Jeypore in Koraput district, Padmapur in Sambalpur district and Baripada in Mayurbhanj district.
The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at a meeting to review development of different airstrips in the state.
The runway lengthening work is already in progress at Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Lanjigarh and Angul airstrips to 5,000 ft, the meeting was told.
The meeting also discussed on the extension of helicopter services to different places in the state, an official said.
There were 28 airstrips existing in the state. Of them 12 are under government control and the remaining run by private parties and erstwhile princely states.
