Bhubaneswar: In a major boost for Western Odisha, the SAIL board has formally handed over the Rourkela airport to the Airports Authority of India and approved additional land required for its upgrade to a Category-4 airport.
The decision marks the end of a long-standing demand of the people of Rourkela and is being seen as a turning point for the region’s development.
With the airport now coming under the control of AAI, development work is expected to gather pace.
Once upgraded to a Category-4 facility, the airport will be capable of handling larger aircraft such as the Airbus A320.
This will pave the way for direct flight connectivity with major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
Union Minister Jual Oram thanked the Government of India and SAIL authorities in a social media post, calling it a historic step for Rourkela.
Officials and local leaders said improved air connectivity will attract new investments to the steel city.
Key sectors like industry, business, tourism, healthcare and education are likely to benefit.
The upgrade is also expected to create new employment opportunities for thousands of youth in Western Odisha.
For years, there has been a demand to expand the Rourkela airport to meet growing regional needs.
The SAIL board’s approval is being hailed as not just the development of an airport, but the beginning of a new chapter for the economic progress of the entire region.
