Bhubaneswar, Jan 29 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has said his government is committed to upgrading the Rourkela airport and expanding Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) as part of a comprehensive
plan for the region’s industrial and infrastructural growth.
Rourkela is known for being a prominent steel hub and an emerging smart city, Majhi said during a visit to Rourkela.
The CM said that it has been a long-standing demand of the local people for the upgradation of the airport to Category C, with facilities for handling moderate traffic and less than 3 million passengers annually.
The existing airport features a single runway of 1,930 meters, limiting its ability to accommodate larger aircraft.
“There is a proper coordination between the Centre and the state for the upgradation of the Rourkela airport,” he said.
The chief minister also said that he has personally held discussions with RSP authorities and state steel department officials regarding the plant's expansion.
The Union Steel Minister and his team have already visited Rourkela for a detailed review and held discussions with the state government.
The state government has constituted a task force under the chairmanship of Development Commissioner DK Singh to accelerate the expansion work, the CM said on Wednesday.
“The task force led by Singh has already made three visits to Rourkela. We are holding discussions, and things are moving in a positive direction. These matters were neglected in the past, but since our government came to power, we have made significant progress,” Majhi said, asserting that the 'double engine' government would ensure the completion of the two projects soon.
The RSP, which presently runs at a capacity of 4.5 million ton per annum (MTPA) has started work to enhance its capacity to 9.5 MTPA by 2030. PTI AAM NN
