New Delhi [India], May 19 : Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra on Tuesday met Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, and submitted a proposal that the existing Rangeilunda airstrip in Ganjam district be developed into a full-fledged commercial airport to be designated as 'Brahmapur Airport'.
In a letter to the Civil Aviation Minister, Sasmit Patra said he has raised the demand for upgradation of Rangeilunda airstrip on several occasions in Parliament, and has been a "long-standing aspiration" of the people of Southern Odisha.
He said that the "citizens from this entire region continue to depend largely upon Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam for commercial air connectivity, resulting in avoidable logistical and developmental disadvantages."
Citing raising the matter in Parliament, he stated that on February 8, 2025, he raised a Parliamentary Question regarding the establishment of a Greenfield Airport at Rangeilunda in Ganjam district. He said that in response, "the Ministry clarified that a formal proposal process under the Greenfield Airports Policy would be required for further consideration. Thereafter, during discussions in March 2025 concerning aviation and infrastructure development in Odisha, urged the Government to expedite airport infrastructure projects across the State, specifically highlighting the urgent need for development of Rangeilunda alongside other regional airport projects."
"On December 9, 2025, during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, I strongly appealed for the upgradation of the existing Rangeilunda airstrip into a fully operational 'Brahmapur Airport'. During the intervention, I highlighted the severe aviation connectivity deficit in Southern Odisha and emphasised the enormous developmental potential associated with the project," Patra added.
The BJD leader said that he continued to raise the matter in February 2026.
"A full-fledged Brahmapur Airport would provide transformative benefits to Southern Odisha. It would significantly strengthen regional connectivity, tourism, trade, exports, industrial growth and MSME development. It would improve access to healthcare and emergency medical evacuation, while also enhancing disaster preparedness and response capacity in a region frequently affected by cyclones and natural disasters. The project would further contribute towards balanced regional development in alignment with the Government of India's vision for inclusive infrastructure expansion under the UDAN framework," the letter read.
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