South Orissa Students’ Association (SOSA) demands greenfield domestic airport at Berhampur

BERHAMPUR: South Orissa Students’ Association (SOSA) through a letter to the Chief Minister of Orissa has demanded a green field domestic airport at Berhampur keeping in view the growing air traffic and need of people in the southern region comprising of ten districts of Orissa. The students’ body in its letter to the Chief Minister informed that spectacular growth in the aviation sector witnessed in India in recent years has completely by-passed the state of Orissa. Orissa has seen a spurt in private investment in the recent years and now it is being compared with some of the more advanced states like Maharashtra, Gujarat etc in terms of attracting investment. But, when it comes to air connectivity the state is considered a laggard with poor and inadequate aviation infrastructure. Moreover, most of the states have developed multiple functional airports; the state of Orissa still doesn’t have a second airport after Bhubaneswar. While the only airport of Orissa is still languishing as a domestic airport, prominent cities of the state like Berhampur are yet to be a part of the aviation map of the country. This is regrettable as Berhampur city caters to a vast population of South Orissa and is a major educational, healthcare and commercial hub of the state. As far as Southern Orissa is concerned, the demand for a green field domestic airport at Berhampur has been raised at various points of time but nothing concrete has happened as yet. It is needless to mention that Southern Orissa comprising of 10 revenue districts and Berhampur; the second biggest urban cluster of the state and the principal city of the region is not only the regional hub for business, transport, health and higher education, but it is also among the fastest growing cities of eastern India. Moreover, the region is having a great tourist potential with places like Gopalpur on sea, Chika Lake, Tampara Bay, Taratarini Hill Shrine, Taptapani hot stream and rich tribal culture. Besides, Berhampur is going to be a commercial hub of Orissa with the upcoming industrial corridor of the state. The Gopalpur Port, Tata Industrial Park and SEZ, Titanium SEZ, IREL, proposed Sonepur Energy and Oil City located in the area. The Student's body urged the Chief Minister to take urgent steps for a greenfield domestic airport at an appropriate location near Berhampur city in Orissa which would felicitate faster industrialisation and development of southern region of the state and would ensure faster connectivity for large number of people, the letter addred.