Malkangiri: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the Malkangiri airport on January 9. Ahead of the inauguration, a trial run of a VT-100 flight was conducted successfully at the airport on Sunday. Soon after the first aircraft landed at Malkangiri airport, Fire Services personnel performed a water shower to welcome it.
In the first phase, 9-seater aircraft will operate from the airport and later larger aircraft will be pressed into service.
Built on 94.5 hectares of land, Rs 33 crore was spent on the construction of Malkangiri airport. Authorities of the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar have provided technical assistance to make the airport in Malkangiri operational.
Rapid development is expected in the region once the Malkangiri airport becomes operational.