Naveen Patnaik, CM, Odisha, inaugurated the Malkangiri airport. Spread over 233 acres, the airport is located in Katelguda in the Goudaguda panchayat area. It has been developed at a cost of Rs 700 million and has a 1620-metre long and 30-metre wide runway. In the first phase, nine-seater aircraft are likely to operate from the airport. With this, the number of operational airports in the state has gone up to seven. The other six are located in Bhubaneswar, Jharsuguda, Jeypore in Koraput, Utkela in Kalahandi, Rourkela in Sundergarh and Rangeilunda in Ganjam. Patnaik said the new airport was a dream come true for people of the tribal-dominated Swabiman Anchal.