Demand for naming Jharsuguda airport after Veer Surendra Sai reiterated

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday reiterated the request to name the Jharsuguda airport after eminent freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai.

He also urged the Centre to introduce commercial flights to Jharsuguda airport.

“I would like to reiterate the request that the Government of India may consider naming the Jharsuguda Airport as ‘Veer Surendra Sai Airport’, which would be a befitting tribute to the legendary son of the soil,” said the Chief Minister in a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu.

Earlier, the Ministry, in July, had denied naming the airport after the freedom fighter citing the absence of a state Assembly resolution in this regard.

He expressed happiness over the completion of the development of work at Jharsuguda airport and its formal inauguration on September 22.

“You might be aware that Jharsuguda is located strategically in an industrial and mining belt of Odisha. Keeping in view the growing importance of this city in western Odisha, I would request you to kindly consider the introduction of commercial flights to Jharsuguda,” said Patnaik.

The Chief Minister suggested that one of the Air India flights from Bhubaneswar to Delhi may be routed through Jharsuguda, to begin with.