'Flight connectivity to be enhanced ahead of Hockey World Cup'

BHUBANESWAR: In view of the upcoming FIH Hockey Men's World Cup 2023, the Odisha government on Monday urged the Centre to enhance flight connectivity to Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport in Jharsuguda and operationalisation of Rourkela Airport.

The Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 will take place at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar and at the Bisra Munda Stadium in Rourkela from January 13 to 29, 2023.

In a letter to Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Rajiv Bansal, Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said, "I would like to inform you that, the upcoming FIH Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 is scheduled to be held from 13th to 29th Jan 2023 at Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.

We are extremely thankful for the steps being taken at your end to make the Rourkela Airport operational at the earliest." Mohapatra said that access to Rourkela city will be made easier if the air connectivity to Jharsuguda is enhanced.

"As an alternative to Rourkela Airport, the VSS Airport at Jharsuguda is the nearest domestic Airport having connectivity with cities like Kolkata, Raipur Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bhubaneswar. Further, Jharsuguda city is well connected with Rourkela via road as well as railway. Thus, the access to Rourkela city will be made easier if the air connectivity to Jharsuguda is enhanced," he said.

Highlighting the point that Spice Jet is cancelling scheduled flights from different metro cities, the Chief Secretary said that it badly affects the connectivity to the State.

"Now it is a matter of concern too that Spice Jet is cancelling scheduled flights from different Metro cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kolkata, which badly affects the connectivity to the State and to the utmost dissatisfaction of the general public at large," he said.

He further urged the Civil Aviation Secretary to look into the matter in order to increase the flight frequency or connectivity from important cities to Jharsuguda.

"It is, therefore, requested to kindly look into the matter in order to increase the flight frequency/connectivity from important cities to Jharsuguda, especially during the month of January 2023 in view of the upcoming Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 so as to cater the passenger demand," he added.

This is the second consecutive World Cup to be held in India - and fourth overall.