Tourism and Airport of International Standards in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Bringing International Connectivity, Circuit: Bhubaneswar-Chilika-Puri, Khordha, Tourist promotion October 18th. 2010, 11:56am(Thanks to Purna Mohanty for the pointer.)
Following is from PIB http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=66381.
Development and promotion of tourism is undertaken primarily by the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, extends financial assistance to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations for tourism related projects which are identified in consultation with them, under various tourism schemes of the Ministry. In the year 2008-09 a mega circuit project named development of tourist circuit “Bhubaneswar-Puri-Chilka” in the State of Orissa was sanctioned for an amount of Rs. 30.23 crore.
The Biju Patnaik Airport at Bhubaneswar has been taken up for development and upgradation to international standards, with a new terminal building with all modern facilities including two aerobridges and expansion of apron.
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AD/DB
Following are some pictures of the planned new terminal for Bhubaneswar. One of them appears in the web page of http://auroraconsultingengineers.com/reference.html. Thanks to Devasis Sarangi, Rajeswar and others for the pictures.
Tourism is only one aspect of Bhubaneswar. The others include: capital city, metropolitan area of 1.9 million, educational and knowledge hub (e..g., 70+ engineering colleges) and surrounded by emerging industrial and business centers (Berahmpur, Angul, Kalinganagar, Paradeep) and existing and emerging ports (Paradeep, Dhamara, Gopalpur and many new ones in pipeline).
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October 18th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/indl-goods-/-svs/steel/ArcelorM-Posco-Vedanta-may-exit-Orissa/articleshow/6751358.cms
I think the above article says a lot about the investment climate in Orissa. If this turns out to be true then other investors are unlikely to touch the state even with a long barge pole. Projects and MoUs signed in Orissa will remain perpetually in the pipeline and over a period of time become a pipe dream.
From a political viewpoint it might have been better on the part of the people of Orissa to vote for the Congress. At least that way the state would have ensured that some of the projects at least started off without any hitch. Now we have a situation in which a regional party is the ruling part and the party at the center is in the opposition. Needless to say however hard the ruling party tries to get projects started it will be stopped from doing so by the opposition, as it will represent a success for the ruling party. A success for the ruling regional party means kickbacks and favors for its politicians and the establishment and of course the distinct possibility of getting elected for another term. Obviously the opposition parties and the ruling party at the center wouldn’t want any of this to happen.
October 18th, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Investment climate is not just about big-ticket projects. These majors come to Orissa primarily because of mining benefits i.e. getting mines at cheap rates. This will not change.
Talking about Political preferences, perhaps, a lot of the learned intelligensia dont support congress in Odisha for a very basic reason. That is there is not coherent economic policy from them. It is important not to believe everything you read in the newspapers. Using a Judgement is very important.
Vedanta Alumina has invested 5000+ crores in Kalahandi . This is > 1 Billion Dollars. These amounts are not small.
Last , but, not the least, you might not know this. Odisha’s growth rate in the last 10 years has been around 9%. That should answer the fact, that, regional parties are better for development in a state than National parties. That is the National trend. Ex. states -: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pardesh, Bihar and even Orissa.
October 18th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
@stingidea…
so true….the political connection….or to say the disconnect, unfortunately, more and more seems to be the root cause of all delays.
@orissagrowth…
I would like to post negative comments in this otherwise highly optimistic website about developments….but some truths do come out eventually..dont they?
October 18th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
a correction….
Please read…………”I would NOT like to….”
Apologies for the typo.
October 18th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
It will be foolish to vote for congress. Congress is an assembly of all corrupt politician. Whatever Naveen government has done so far, will be washed away by congress.
October 19th, 2010 at 10:17 am
Just blaming the political parties or govt isn’t the answer. Please ask yourself. Are the Odia people in general have the character for development or is there a significant change over the years. I still see Odia people have the trend of One man doing the income and rest of the family depending on it. Even sixty years after the independence we are nt able to change the ageold saying as “Odia people are lazy”. Can any body tell me how many successful homegrown entreprenuers are there in the state? I’ve seen even punjabis, bengalies, biharies etc are coming from the outside and doing a very good business in the state. Unless and untill we change our job-hunting character and become self dependant the situation isn’t going to change in the near future. Of course political activeness is required at higher level, but ground realities has to change as well. Honestly I didn’t mean to offend anybody here. I myself is proud to be an Odia.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:58 am
@Umesh: ‘Investment climate is not just about big-ticket projects.’ – Frankly I choose to disagree. Investment climate is about projects that have been committed on paper (big and small) at least in a state that is in it’s infancy in the industrial development stage. By successfully getting some projects off the ground (e.g – big ticket projects send loud messages) the Orissa government can send a positive signal to other investors. Unfortunately this has not happened. Unless of course you believe that these industries don’t belong in the state as they rely on mineral exploitation. That is an altogether different discussion then.
About the political part of my comment you might have misunderstood it as part of my endorsement for the Congress. I do not anywhere in my comment mention anything close to it. If you read my comment dispassionately you will understand it is about the disconnect between the aims of the ruling party and the Congress at the center. From a subtle point of view it actually is a mild endorsement for the BJD. Though I will not go as far to suggest that politicians in the BJD are clean while those in the Congress are corrupt. Reality is not that black and white.
@Ranjan Nayak: I do agree with you that Oriyas are not entrepreneurial by nature. Most Oriyas have a disdain for entrepreneurs. Basically the problem starts with us (all of us – parents, teachers, friends, media etc.) It’s something I have been repeatedly mentioning about in most of my comments on this site. Let’s hope it will encourage somebody browsing this site at some point of time to become an entrepreneur or encourage a budding entrepreneur. If you are an entrepreneur I am proud of you.
October 19th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
The investment climate is basically a measure of how comfortable people feel about investing in a particular region. A lot of it is perception. From that point of view if these big-ticket investments haven’t happenned(Not necessarily, true) , one is induced to believe that , investment climate has dampened.
But, please do reflect on what I say below
a) Odisha has 9% growth in last 10 years.
b) Last year, investments under implementation was 2nd highest in the country(absolute terms)
c)Will Mining /Metals majors invest in Orissa? – The answer is yes. If people can invest in afghanistan, then why not Orissa.
Lastly, A lot of people look at going beyond criticism and proposing solutions. That is the first step to becoming an entreprenuer. An example. There is a page on facebook which promotes Vedanta University -: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vedanta-University-Odisha-temple-of-knowledge-for-the-new-millennium/159154217444275
I will call this page’s managers as entreprenuers. Some food for thought if you support the university.
October 24th, 2010 at 9:46 am
Stingdea : I would like to add to the your comment on the disconnect – BJD should develop a working relationship with the centre be it Congress or BJP instead of spitting venom at them. There is something called tact and diplomacy…unfortunately BJD is spoiling the show by making enemies with both the leading opoosition parties. I have been following your comments for some time and I completely endorse your point of view.
Satya Babu : Unfortunately constructive criticism is taken as negative comment ….we cannot talk goodie goodie all the time. I think we must addresses the root cause of a problem and not wait for it to unfold 🙂
Umesh Babu : There is no political party that is not corrupt and ….it is sad that we have been naive all these years.
October 24th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
Sorry Umesh Babu, my last sentence was actually meant for Jaya Prakash Biswal Babu.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Odisha Government neither respects people nor LAW
The Biju Patnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar, when started about 70 years ago, was in the periphery of the town. The town grew as the capital city of Orissa. But no attention was given to the location of the Airport and to its expanding needs. As a result today, when Bhubaneswar is having about 12 to 13 lakh population and is dotted with innumerable buildings, apartments, residential areas and colonies almost everywhere; it has come to be located in the middle of the city. The Raj Bhawan, State Secretariat, Main Market places, City Centre as well as ancient temples; all are at a distance of 1 ½ to 2 KMs from the Airport. Besides, the Airport is hemmed in by residential areas and colonies on all sides and its continuing extension of the runway has completely disrupted the city’s road connectivity, transport system and has resulted in dividing the rapidly expanding city area in to two independent sections to the complete detriment of general city life.
The great need for an Airport in Bhubaneswar cannot be denied. All are for a fully developed International Airport in Bhubaneswar. But let it not be at the cost of hundreds of thousands of people and their livelihood. No attention has been given to the location of the Airport so far. It is high time that it is done so and the Biju Patnaik Airport be shifted from its present location from the middle of the city to a place away from the city, where plenty of open Government land is available at 15 to 20 KMs distance. The present location of the Biju Patnaik Airport is calamitous to the city of Bhubaneswar. It is the misfortune of the citizenry that their repeated requests to shift the Airport to a more suitable place, suitable both from the convenience of air connectivity and the convenience of the city and people at large, are not heeded to.
Although the above facts are based on realities, the AAI is bent upon expanding the runway of the existing airport to 12000 ft. In the first phase of expansion of the runway from 7500 ft to 9000 ft, one wide and much used road (Khandagiri-Siripur) has already been blocked since 30th October 2004. In the proposed 2nd phase expansion, newly widened Barabari-Baramunda Road will be blocked and in the 3rd phase expansion, NH-5 will be blocked near Existing Bus Terminus. It is beyond the imagination as to how BDA shall accommodate such an airport expansion drive, remaining a silent spectator to the whimsical decisions of few politicians and bureaucrats those who never care for city planning.
All may be aware that Government of Orissa engaged IIT Kharagpur to prepare the CDP Report (2008), popularly known as VISION-2030. It has been suggested that the International Airport should be located at a place between Khurda and South Bhubaneswar. In the mean time, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has passed a resolution for shifting the Airport away from the existing location.
It is worth mentioning that the Begumpet airport (Hyderabad of AP) and Bengaluru Airport have been closed for air traffic as and when the new airports were made operational at both the cities. All our Metro Cities have only one functional airport each with separate international and domestic terminals. Mumbai, after completion of Navi-Mumbai new Airport, will be the first city to have two functional regular airports in the country. Hence, there should be no doubt to believe that once the proposed ‘Biju Patnaik international airport’ is made operational away from the city, the existing Biju Patnaik Model Airport shall be closed for ever.
The existing airport at Bhubaneswar, if closed for air traffic after the new international airport is made operational, should be utilized properly with enough care by BDA. The existing structures of the airport can be utilized as an international convention center. Even, Orissa Legislative Assembly can be shifted to the area, helping the Mahatma Gandhi Road (Road joining railway Station with PMG office) free from month long congestion caused by democratic organizations!
The union exchequer should not be loaded further for investment in unproductive airport expansion at the existing site, which is required to be shifted to a new spacious location in coming years.
It is worth to mention that the available land at Bhubaneswar is getting scarce day by day and unless planned prudently, the state may not be able to acquire required up-land of about 3000-5000 acres in a single patch and provide to AAI. Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri was built about 800 years back, while the population of the entire country was about 25 lakhs. Puri is capable of accommodating 12 lakh pilgrims during car festival, even today. BDA must plan the city development, keeping in view the vision for at least 500 years.
Shifting the Airport’s location from the centre of the city to a very suitable location is the urgent need of the day. BDA may finalise the city master plan keeping in view, the future requirements of the international airport. The information in this regard should be kept open to the general public in such a manner that people should not purchase land in the vicinity of proposed airport area. The Airport Authority of India and appropriate authorities in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and State Government should be moved in this direction and regular proposal is required to be placed as well for shifting of the existing airport and restore road connectivity on Khandagiri-Siripur, where it crosses the runway.
However, the State Government was directed by the Hon’ble High Court on 28.09.2004 to provide a 100 ft. wide road connecting ITER Jn. near Jagamara with Santoshi Maa Temple near Siripur Sqare within a period of 4 years to compensate the loss of blocking the Gandamunda-Siripur Road. Although 6 years have already passed, this proposed road has neither taken any shape nor has the Govt.of Orissa initiated any step. This reveals that the state government has got no respect either for the judiciary or for the people. It is a state of lawlessness in the state, where the state dares to disregard the Hon’ble Court provoking the affected people to knock at the door of the Courts! Unless the Court takes suo motto initiatives to protect & establish their dignity, the state run by Naveen’s team will dare to tremour the foundation of the constitution and people will pay the price of it.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
The article by J B is excellent. Orissa government must shift the airport location, if they really want to make Bhubaneswar airport an international airport. However, the name of the new airport should remain as BIJU PATNAIK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BPIA. The article is based on facts, figures and thought provoking.