Green Signal for Puri Airport Project as Final Environmental Approval Granted
Puri: The proposed Shree Jagannath International Airport at Sipasarubali in Odisha’s Puri district has received final environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), marking a significant milestone in the development of the ambitious aviation project.
The clearance removes a major regulatory hurdle and brings the greenfield airport project a step closer to the construction phase.
The airport will be developed over approximately 471 hectares of land at Sipasarubali near Puri and is expected to enhance air connectivity to one of India’s most prominent pilgrimage and tourism destinations.
According to Puri Collector Dibyajyoti Parida, the project will now require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry, following which the Airports Authority of India (AAI) can proceed with the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for construction activities.
The project had earlier secured Stage-I environmental clearance in April, with the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recommending the proposal after reviewing its environmental impact.
Officials indicated that all conditions attached to the preliminary approval have been fulfilled, leading to the grant of final environmental clearance.
Estimated to cost around ₹5,631 crore, the proposed airport is designed to handle approximately 4.6 million passengers annually.
The project also includes a small patch of forest land required for airport infrastructure, including the runway and terminal facilities.
The airport is expected to strengthen tourism, improve regional connectivity, and support economic growth in coastal Odisha.
With the final environmental approval now in place, stakeholders are optimistic that the project will move swiftly towards implementation.
