Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged upon Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to help introduce a direct international flight between Bhubaneswar and Dubai.
Several international airlines have evinced interest to start flight operations from the Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar to Dubai which serves as an international hub for passengers for travelling to other destinations, stated the CM in a letter to the Union Minister on Saturday.
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Odisha has been witnessing a rise in traffic to various international destinations from the state and vice-versa due to an increase in the industrial investments and tourist footfalls, he submitted.
Restriction on landing rights has been a deterrent for such operations by international airlines, noted CM Naveen Patnaik.
In the absence of direct flights from the state to other international destinations like Dubai and Middle East countries, the passengers face immense difficulty to go to the desired destinations.
Although Air India has international flights from Bhubaneswar to the Middle East via New Delhi, it is a costlier and time-consuming option. As there is sufficient passenger load, a direct flight is felt necessary between Bhubaneswar and Dubai, he said.