Longer runway for bigger planes, 24x7 ops part of Jeypore Airport upgrade

Koraput: The state govt is moving ahead with plans to upgrade the Jeypore Airport to allow operations of larger aircraft and round-the-clock services, revenue minister Suresh Pujari said on Saturday, highlighting the projects potential to transform regional connectivity and economic growth in southern Odisha.

Speaking at Jeypore, Pujari said the govt is committed to expanding the airport to accommodate bigger aircraft and increase flight operations. We want to see the Jeypore airport grow bigger, with more aircraft flying from here and more people travelling through this region, he said. He added that the revenue department has already agreed to provide the required land for expansion free of cost. Along with creating infrastructure at the state level, we are in constant touch with the ministry of civil aviation to ensure that larger aircraft operate from Jeypore, the minister said.


Jeypore Airport, which became operational on October 31, 2022, under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme, currently handles two nine-seater flights daily between Bhubaneswar and Jeypore and one nine-seater flight between Jeypore and Visakhapatnam. More than three years into operations, the airport is now poised for a major upgrade following the govt’s approval to raise its status from category 2B to 3C.

Once upgraded, the airport will be capable of handling 72-seater aircraft and operating 24 hours a day without runway visual-range limitations. As part of the expansion, over 200 acres of land will be acquired, including about 50 acres of govt land. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) submitted a positive feasibility survey report in August 2024, paving the way for the project. The existing 1,200-metre runway will be extended to 2,700 metres, along with enhanced security infrastructure to meet higher operational standards.

Koraput collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan said the upgrade would have a multiplier effect on the region. Improved air connectivity will accelerate economic activity, boost tourism and position Jeypore as a key travel hub in the state, he said.

Earlier in the day, Pujari inaugurated the newly constructed Revenue Inspector Training Institute (RITI) on the outskirts of Jeypore. Built at a cost of Rs 2 crore, the institute will serve as a dedicated training centre for newly recruited and untrained revenue inspectors (RIs) and assistant revenue inspectors (ARIs) from Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi districts.

The facility, which can train up to 100 personnel in a single batch, is expected to ease the hardship faced by field officials who earlier had to travel to Khallikote in Ganjam district for training. With this institute in place, newly recruited RIs and ARIs from this region will no longer have to depend on the training facility in Ganjam, the minister said, describing the initiative as a step towards strengthening grassroots administration in southern Odisha.

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