Viksit Odisha / Puri International Airport Gets Stage-I Clearance, Approval for Forest Land Diversion
Key Points
The Shree Jagannath International Airport project in Puri advances with Stage-I forest clearance, marking a milestone toward improved air connectivity, tourism growth, and Odisha’s strengthened aviation infrastructure.
Puri, Apr 4: The long-awaited Shree Jagannath International Airport project in Puri has taken a significant step forward with the Central Government granting Stage-I approval for diversion of forest land, clearing the way for its development.
An official notification from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) confirmed that the proposal submitted by the Odisha Government has been approved under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, following examination by the Centre’s Advisory Committee.
The clearance allows diversion of 27.887 hectares of DLC
forest land under the Puri Forest Division for construction of the proposed
Shree Jagannath International Airport.
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While this marks a crucial milestone, the approval is conditional, with compliance required before final Stage-II clearance is granted.
The Odisha Government had earlier sought forest clearance for the project, which has been under discussion for years. With this approval, the airport plan has moved closer to execution.
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✨The upcoming airport is expected to greatly improve air connectivity to Puri, a major pilgrimage destination, and drive tourism and economic growth in the region.
Officials emphasized that meeting the stipulated conditions will be essential for securing final approval and beginning construction.
“Stage-I environmental clearance has already been granted. Earlier, an application had been submitted for in-principle approval. However, certain specific conditions have been laid down. Once these conditions are met, Stage-II clearance can be obtained,” said Puri District Collector Dibya Jyoti Parida.
“After the survey, a mandatory observation period is
required. Meanwhile, a public hearing has been conducted for land acquisition,”
he said further, adding that once discussions are successfully completed,
complete details of the land will be available.
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