Puri, Oct 8 (UDN): The ambitious Shree Jagannath International Airport project in Puri has cleared a major regulatory hurdle with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change granting final environmental clearance for the proposed greenfield airport.
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The clearance paves the way for the next phase of the project and is expected to accelerate preparations for construction at Sipasarubali, where the airport is planned over nearly 471 hectares.
Puri Collector Dibyajyoti Parida said the environmental clearance has been granted, while certain formalities, including the required no-objection certificate from the Ministry, remain to be completed before construction activities can formally proceed.
“The EC has been accorded for the Puri airport project. A no-objection certificate thereafter is required from MoEFCC to go ahead with the project. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will also give a go-ahead to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) to take up construction work,” Parida said.
Major Step Forward for Puri Airport
The project had earlier received Stage-I environmental clearance from the ministry on April 4, following the forest ministry’s in-principle approval and recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committee.
Officials said the conditions attached to the initial clearance have since been addressed, paving the way for the final environmental approval.
With the final clearance in place, the forest land required for the airport project can formally be brought into the project framework, removing one of the key obstacles to its implementation.
Airport to Handle 4.6 Million Passengers Annually
The proposed airport is estimated to cost around Rs 5,631 crore and is planned across approximately 471 hectares (1,164 acres).
Once operational, the airport is expected to have a passenger-handling capacity of around 4.6 million passengers per annum.
According to officials, the runway will require 114.961 hectares, including around 3.427 hectares of forest land. A further 0.037 hectare of forest land will be required for construction of the passenger terminal building.
A Boost to Puri’s Connectivity
The proposed international airport is being viewed as a major infrastructure project for Puri and Odisha, particularly given the city’s status as a major pilgrimage and tourism destination.
The final environmental clearance is expected to give fresh momentum to the project, with the authorities now moving towards the remaining procedural approvals, preparation of the detailed project report and subsequent construction activities.
The project is expected to significantly strengthen air connectivity to Puri and support the growth of tourism and related economic activities in the region once completed.