By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, November 8, 2016 : The development of Jharsuguda airport in Odisha will be completed by May 2018, Airport Authority of India (AAI) Chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra said on Tuesday during his interaction with chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi here.

“We have decided to complete the construction of Jharsuguda airport before the timeline fixed. It would be completed by May 2018 instead of December 2018 — the target set earlier,” Mohpatra said adding that Jharsuguda has good potential for regional as well as intra-nation air connectivity.

AAI would take all possible steps to develop it as a viable and vibrant airport, he added.

The issues relating to shifting of power line, water supply and road connectivity to the airport, deployment of security forces and fire personnel and forest clearance of balance land were discussed at the meeting.

Jharsuguda District Collector Bibhuti Pattnaik, present at the meeting, informed that a tender has been issued for construction of the road to the airport.

The collector also said that the remaining issues with regard to balance land acquisition would be settled after crop cutting by the farmers.

The state government has handed over 296.5 acres of land to AAI for the development of the airport which would be developed with an investment of about Rs 210 crore.