Utkela airport gets licence to start flight op

Bhawanipatna: The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday said it has issued the licence for Utkela airport in Kalahandi district to start flight operations. Utkela airport, 15 km from the district headquarters of Bhawanipatna, is among the airstrips that have been listed under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN.

This licence from the DGCA has paved the way for regular flights of commercial aeroplanes from Utkela to Bhubaneswar and Raipur, capitals of Odisha and Chhattisgarh respectively.

After Rourkela and Jeypore, the UDAN service will be launched soon in Utkela, an official said, adding that initially GSEC Monarch has been given the licence to fly nine-seated commercial planes. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik welcomed the DGCA's decision. "Glad to share that #UtkelaAirport in #Kalahandi district has received DGCA licence to start flight operation. Soon flight operations will commence to #Bhubaneswar. It will boost connectivity, commerce & tourism, fulfilling aspiration of people of the region," Naveen said.