Biju Patnaik Airport revamp: Airport to get facelift within one year

The Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) is set to get a facelift within one year as the development projects are in the pipeline for the airport revamp. Airport revamps involve the eight additional parking bays construction, a new technical block, an air traffic control (ATC) tower, an aircraft hangar, two passenger boarding bridges, and a new fire station. Some of the other projects anticipated to be finished by 2022 are the installation of an advanced surface movement and guidance control system (ASMGCS) and an in-line baggage scanning system. Sources said that the new ATC tower and the technical block proposed completion date is February 28. The link building construction between terminal one and terminal two is supposed to be completed by December 31 next year. The ongoing revamp projects and proposal of BPIA of acquiring 64 acres of land to extend the runway were discussed during the airports' advisory committee (AAC) meeting held under MP Aparajita Sarangi, the chairmanship of Bhubaneswar. Airports Advisory Committee chairperson Sarangi urged airlines to begin direct international flights from Bhubaneswar and explore connectivity with the new destination. The airlines urged Sarangi to improve the current capping of flight movement from 72.5% to 80%. From BPIA, about 217 flights operate every week, and passenger movement is anticipated to rise during 2021-22, said Pravat Ranjan Beuria, director of BPIA. Image Source Also read: AAI approves Rajkot airport terminal expansion project Also read: Govt to expand Puducherry Airport - K Lakshminarayanan