Infra upgrades at city airport to reduce passenger waiting time

Bhubaneswar: Aircraft movement at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) will become faster and smoother with the operationalisation of the parallel taxi track (PTT) and rapid exit taxiway (RET) from Thursday.Airport officials said the new infrastructure will reduce aircraft holding time and passenger waiting time. In a post on X, the BPIA said that the facilities were inaugurated by chief vigilance officer of AAI, Nikhil Kumar Kanodia.With the parallel taxi track now functional, arriving and departing aircraft will no longer have to wait on the main runway for clearance, a situation that often caused congestion during peak hours. The rapid exit taxiway, on the other hand, allows aircraft to vacate the runway immediately after landing, enabling quicker readiness for the next movement.“Both PTT and RET are crucial infrastructural upgrades that will improve operational efficiency and ensure better on-time performance. It will also help minimise delays during high traffic periods and adverse weather conditions,” BPIA director Prasanna Pradhan said.The development comes at a time when BPIA has witnessed a steady rise in passenger footfall and flight operations, particularly after the expansion of domestic connectivity and the addition of new routes. Officials said the improved runway efficiency will also enhance overall safety by reducing waiting time on active runways.Frequent flyers welcomed the move, saying taxiing delays after landing were a common concern. “Sometimes we had to wait on the runway itself for several minutes before entering the airport. This upgrade should make arrivals quicker and smoother,” Pritam Agrawal, regular traveller, said.Airport authorities added that the new facilities are part of phased modernisation efforts aimed at strengthening Bhubaneswar’s aviation infrastructure in line with the growing demand.