Parliament Question: Status of air connectivity for southern districts of Odisha

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 177 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2nd February 2026 STATUS OF AIR CONNECTIVITY FOR SOUTHERN DISTRICTS OF ODISHA 177. DR. SASMIT PATRA Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether Government acknowledges the absence of adequate air connectivity for southern districts of the State of Odisha such as Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Malkangiri and Kandhamal, which continue to rely heavily on distant airports; (b) whether proposals for new airstrips or UDAN routes for districts like Jeypore, Berhampur and Phulbani remain pending and if so, the reasons for delay; and (c) whether Government will undertake a time-bound expansion of regional aviation infrastructure in backward and tribal-dominated areas of the State of Odisha to improve connectivity, emergency medical access and economic opportunities? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (c): In the state of Odisha, four airports, namely Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Utkela and Jeypore, have been developed and operationalized under the UDAN scheme. In addition, the airstrip in Odisha at Rangeilunda, Amarda and Rairangpur (also known as Dandabose), have been identified for development to support RCS flights. Under the scheme, unserved and underserved airstrips and airports are listed for bidding by airlines to provide connectivity. Currenty airstrips namely Angul, Barbil, Birasal, Gudari, Hirakund, Jayakpur, Lanjigarh, Nawapara, Padampur, Raisuan, Sukinda, Theruboli, Tushra, Malkangiri, Baripada and Konark in Odisha are listed in the UDAN scheme document. Bidding rounds are conducted periodically to expand the number of destinations and routes under the scheme. Interested airlines submit proposals during these rounds based on their assessment of demand on specific routes. An airport that is included in the awarded routes under UDAN and requires upgradation or development for commencement of operations is developed under the "Revival of Unserved and Underserved Airports" scheme. The Government has announced the launch of the modified UDAN Scheme to increase regional connectivity to 120 new destinations across the country, and to cater to 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts. ******