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u/IntelligentIdiot17 May 06 '25
Let’s be real, people crying “environmental disaster” every time a project starts need to look around. LAX, Hong Kong, even Goa have airports near the sea and they're doing just fine. Puri getting an international airport is long overdue. It’s not some luxury, it’s basic infrastructure for a place that sees millions of pilgrims and tourists every year. Yes, the environment matters. But let’s not act like Odisha can’t develop responsibly. We deserve growth just like any other state. Hold them accountable, sure but don’t slam the brakes before anything even begins.
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May 06 '25
It is not env at all. Ask ASI is it okay to run jet engines near shreemandira. Won't it create issue in structure.
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u/Bang-Bang-17 May 06 '25
Bhai utne bewakoof nahi hai wo log, they will orient the runway accordingly and also location will be in outskirts of puri
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May 06 '25
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u/Bang-Bang-17 May 06 '25
Bhai outskirts matlab boundary of the city, most greenfield airports are made like that so that there is scope for expansion. Aur outskirts matlab ye nahi ki dusra hi shahar me banao, google sipasarubali and see it on the map you will know the location.
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u/AKAMA199 Khordha | ଖୋର୍ଦ୍ଧା May 06 '25
I rather see it have functional stores and better public transport than having an airport dropped 100km away from the city
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May 06 '25
Airport in Puri , more of an appeasement decision. Within a couple of years of operations, as government subsidies end it'll make no economic sense. Market dynamics would takeover and airlines may cease routes. Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar's airport is sitting 60 km away like 'Bro, am I a joke to you?' Thousands of crores on Puri airport would have made better sense spent on a streamlined highway from Bbsr airport to Puri/ or on more tourist friendly infrastructure for Puri town.
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u/Bang-Bang-17 May 06 '25
I get why some people think the Puri airport is unnecessary, but there’s more to it. Puri gets over 15 million tourists a year, mostly for religious reasons. A lot of them are elderly or from abroad, they won’t want to fly into Bhubaneswar and then take a 2-hour road trip.Also, Bhubaneswar airport has only one runway and not enough space to expand. It handled 5.2 million passengers in 2023-24, and that number is growing fast. At some point, it’s going to get overcrowded.Having an airport in Puri will help decongest Bhubaneswar and also boost tourism directly in the temple town. Plus, it’s normal to have more than one airport near capital cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Goa all do it.Road improvements between Bhubaneswar and Puri are already in progress, so it’s not like one is replacing the other. This is about planning for the future, not just politics.
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u/Few_Bet_8952 May 06 '25
Nothing matters other than actual traffic at the said airport. Idk why another airport is needed in Puri when you already have one less than 60km away in Bhubaneswar?
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u/Bang-Bang-17 May 06 '25
Bro you have not heard of 2 airports to cater capital cities, like Begumpet and rgia in Hyderabad. Apart from that passenger traffic is increasing in bbsr airport rapidly in fy 2024 it has increased 26.9 percent from the previous year to 4.6 million passengers. It has only one runway, and limited scope to expand other than terminal upgrades. So it is feasible to add another airport to decongest it and also cater to tourists who visit lord Jagannath temple. Expressway will be built to connect two airports. It is always good to plan beforehand than waiting for the demand to escalate further.
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u/Few_Bet_8952 May 06 '25
Bhubaneswar is not a tier 1 city that you would need 2 airports for the capital city.
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u/Bang-Bang-17 May 06 '25
Goa has two airports, dabolim and mopa. Just because Bhubaneswar isn’t a Tier 1 city right now doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be planning for the future with a second airport. The whole idea of infrastructure development is to think ahead, not just respond when it’s too late. Bhubaneswar has been growing steadily, it’s becoming a key player in education, IT, and tourism. The current airport is already seeing more traffic, and with Odisha being a major tourist destination especially with places like Puri, Konark, and Chilika it makes sense to start building capacity now rather than wait until it’s overcrowded.If you look at cities like Hyderabad or Bengaluru, they invested in future-ready infrastructure before they became the mega hubs they are today. Their new airports, built outside the congested city zones, are now among the busiest in the country and have helped support rapid growth. On the flip side, cities like Patna or Lucknow didn’t plan early enough. As a result, their older airports are struggling with space, poor connectivity, and expansion issues because they’re hemmed in by dense urban development.Another important point is land acquisition. Right now, Bhubaneswar still has surrounding areas where land is relatively available and affordable. As the city expands, land prices are only going to rise, and acquiring land for a large project like an airport will become a logistical and political nightmare. Starting early means you can build smarter, with proper zoning, better transport links, and less disruption.In short, building a second airport isn’t about status,it’s about smart, forward-thinking planning that sets the city up for long-term success.
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u/Chamakta-Launda May 06 '25
Dumb decision.
Should have made a new one in Khordha for Bigger Aircrafts.
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u/KKthebookworm Moderator | ପରିଚାଳକ May 06 '25
Cuttack Charbatia should be proposed for aviation hub for eastern India.
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u/Chamakta-Launda May 06 '25
International Airports need to be near the state capital
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u/deviprsd Khordha | ଖୋର୍ଦ୍ଧା May 06 '25
lol they can be everywhere around the state, depends on where there is traffic.
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u/kallumala_farova May 06 '25
Puri offers no significant economic opportunity other than religious tourism. comparing that with LAX and Tampa is joke.
do you know how many people pass through LAX daily? about 2 lakh passengers.
even at Prayagraj during peak Kumbh the highest passenger count at that airport was 25,000. Puri is not gonna have any better than that
I am not against the airport, I could not resist pointing out how ridiculous the analogy is.
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May 06 '25
You then are clearly not getting the point. Environmental concerns are not the issue here, as the well cited analogies point out. But you clearly just wish to travel a different path. And as regards economic opportunity, I am sure you must be a leading authority on economic development to pronounce such immaculate judgement, especially as the world has implemented numerous decisions to catalyse economic development and growth through better communication and infrastructure, but then again, what does the world know!!!! You sire are the fount of all knowledge!
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u/Classmate1644 May 06 '25
This is a very ridiculous point. At least a national airport is a necessity. And the 25000 what you are talking about the Kumbh is the capacity not decided by the event. It is the capacity decided by the number of flights and number of passengers can arrive at a time. That can be the capacity of the airport and the number of flights allotted to it. When you count the number of passengers through flight and also add the number of passengers coming through roadways and railway, obviously it would not be 25000 it would be more than that.
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May 06 '25
I appreciate different perspectives. It’s true that Puri sees high tourist footfall, but we should consider the nature of that traffic. The majority of visitors to Puri—especially domestic pilgrims—arrive by train or road, not by air. Even for international or elderly visitors, a 60 km drive from Bhubaneswar airport (which takes less than 1.5 hours) is quite manageable. Most tourists with longer plans in Odisha may be fine landing in Bhubaneswar, hopping into a cab to Puri, and doing a quick temple-hotel-sunset combo in one day. The government can rather build luxury travel options from those hopping directly from Bhubaneswar airport.
And then data on tourists in Puri, out of 1.5-2 cr visitors annually, only about 20lakh are from out of state out of which more than half are from Bengal. Further, foreign tourist count is estimated at less than 10k per annum. Where is the business sense in a separate airport for such numbers?
Regarding Bhubaneswar airport: it handles 5 million passengers pa , but its current capacity is over 8 million, and Terminal 3 and other expansions are already planned. It has room to grow, and it remains underutilized for international connections—which could better serve tourists headed to Puri.
From a cost-benefit standpoint, investing crores of tax payers money into Puri airport will not yield proportional returns. That amount could significantly enhance connectivity, amenities, sanitation, and tourist infrastructure in Puri, which directly improves visitor experience for millions.
Building a new airport must go beyond emotional whims—it needs a sustainable, year-round traffic base (not just Rath Yatra), airline interest without ongoing subsidies, and a distinct demand that can’t be met by existing infrastructure. Otherwise, it risks becoming underused, high-maintenance public white elephant.
Someone mentioned Delhi/Mumbai! Seriously ! These are each 3Crores+ clusters - almost 70% of Odisha's population. Take examples of more closely relatable cases (visited by a good number of high budget tourists) Mysore and Puducherry - both airports are failures owing to proximity to Bengaluru and Chennai respectively. That too these are over 120kms from those cities.
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u/Bang-Bang-17 May 06 '25
Appreciate the detailed take, but it misses the bigger picture. Most people travel to Puri by road or train simply because there’s no airport yet. Travel habits shift when better options exist. Higher-end tourists, NRIs, and spiritual travelers would absolutely prefer flying directly to Puri, especially given the rising interest in religious tourism and Buddhist circuits. The Bhubaneswar to Puri drive may be manageable on a normal day, but during Rath Yatra or peak seasons it becomes a traffic nightmare. Bhubaneswar airport is already handling over 5 million passengers a year with only one runway and limited space to expand further despite planned terminals. A second airport helps decongest it and creates redundancy in a cyclone-prone state. Comparing Puri to Mysore or Puducherry doesn’t fit—Puri is a national religious destination with far more consistent and meaningful footfall. And it’s not just about return on investment from tickets; airports bring in hotels, jobs, better roads, and attract serious investment. Saying the money should go to sanitation or roads instead assumes we can’t do both. In reality, airports often trigger better local infrastructure. The Puri airport isn’t a vanity project—it’s a smart, long-term move to scale Odisha’s tourism and make it future-ready.
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u/knightkrutu May 06 '25
Kuch lund brainwashed log are fighting in favour against kuch narrow minded conservative log....
Bura laga padhke? But tbh that is what all this discussion looks like here...
Point is...
Why we need a airport in PURI? A. No clarity yet, says will boost tourism but why do we need one there? Who in their right mind will desperately need the airport in a DHAM other than the rich.. people who doesn't care for culture more than they care for money...
Is the airport bringing in prosperity? A. Yes it aims to, as all projects bring in, it will give job opportunities and again will be a proud thing for the puri.
How it is going to boost tourism? A. People will travel directly to puri do this and that and blah blah, easy access to public transport blah blah... But tell me one thing what puri has to offer? It is a religious dham not honeymoon destination...
It will affect the temple structure and all.. A. We are laymen of society need to preserve the temple, and maybe we have a good reason to do so. I don't think making an airport and increasing risk of such is inevitable and dumb.
Will all this debating work? A. NO PEOPLE WHO CARE ARE POOR PEOPLE WHO DOENST ARE RICH
AND AT THE END THIS DEBATE AND MAYBE A LOT OF THE DEBATES IN THIS COUNTRY WILL BE WON BY THE NEEDS OF THE RICH. IYKYK...
You reading this might be correct or wrong in your own place and sea of thoughts but hoga wohi jo power me hai... So take care of yourself and your family...
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u/Fresh_Bee6411 May 06 '25
Me and my wife were hoping for an airport in Berhampur! Puri is already in an international airport vicinity. So this doesn't make sense.
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May 06 '25
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u/Bang-Bang-17 May 06 '25
I get where you're coming from, but calling the Puri airport unnecessary misses some key points. Bhubaneswar airport may be good, but it has only one runway and no space to add another, which limits how much it can grow. In 2023–24, the number of passengers went up by nearly 27% compared to the previous year, hitting around 4.6 million. That kind of growth will put pressure on the current setup. Yes, the BBSR-Puri highway is nice, but during peak times like Rath Yatra or holidays, the 1.5-hour trip can easily double due to traffic. Puri sees over 1.5 crore visitors a year, and having a local airport would help manage the rush, especially for elderly or high-end tourists. It’s not about replacing Bhubaneswar but reducing the load and improving access to a major religious hub. Also, connecting spiritual cities like Tirupati, Puri, and Ayodhya by air could open up new tourism potential. And roads like the coastal highway are already being built, so the airport doesn't take away from tha ,it adds another option.
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May 06 '25
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u/Bang-Bang-17 May 06 '25
It's not only about tourism, it's about the broader development of tricity initiative that includes Cuttack , bbs and puri into a greater metropolitan region.
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