TNI Bureau: BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra has urged Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu to upgrade and develop the existing Rangeilunda airstrip in Ganjam district into a full-fledged commercial airport to be named “Brahmapur Airport”.
In a letter to the Union Minister, Dr. Patra said the project has been a long-standing demand of the people of Southern Odisha and stressed the need for better regional air connectivity, balanced development and economic inclusion.
He highlighted that Southern Odisha, despite its economic, educational and strategic importance, continues to remain underserved in aviation infrastructure. He stated that Brahmapur serves as a major commercial and educational hub for districts such as Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri, besides catering to parts of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Dr. Patra pointed out that people from the region currently depend mainly on Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam for air connectivity, causing logistical and developmental disadvantages.
The BJD MP noted that the Rangeilunda airstrip was identified under the UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme in 2018 and that regional connectivity operations from Rangeilunda/Berhampur began in March 2023, demonstrating operational feasibility and growing public demand for regular flight services.
He also mentioned that he has repeatedly raised the issue in Parliament. On February 8, 2025, he raised a Parliamentary Question regarding the establishment of a Greenfield Airport at Rangeilunda. During discussions in March 2025 and again during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha on December 9, 2025, he strongly pressed for the upgradation of the existing airstrip into a fully operational “Brahmapur Airport”.
Dr. Patra further stated that he raised the issue again through Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 177 on February 2, 2026, regarding air connectivity in Southern Odisha. In its reply, the Union Government officially acknowledged that Rangeilunda had been identified for development to support regional connectivity flights under the UDAN framework.
Emphasising the benefits of the proposed airport, he said a full-fledged Brahmapur Airport would boost tourism, trade, exports, industrial growth and MSME development in Southern Odisha. He also underlined its importance for emergency medical connectivity and disaster response in the cyclone-prone coastal region.
Dr. Patra urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to initiate a joint feasibility and technical assessment with the Airports Authority of India and the Odisha government and to develop the required terminal, runway and navigational infrastructure for the proposed airport.
