The Civil Aviation branch is functioning under Transport Department since 1st November, 2019. The main objective is to undertake flights of VVIPs/VIPs and high dignitaries of the State/Central Govt.for emergent public works like aerial survey of natural calamities, review of various developmental works, supervision of flood and drought relief works and law & order in different districts of the State. As there is no State Government aircraft for the above purpose, private aircraft/ helicopters are being used on hiring basis for urgent and emergent purpose. Apart from this, the development and expansion of Airstrips and increase in domestic and international flight connectivity to/from the State comes under its purview.
The Directorate of Aviationwas created in the Year 1962 functioning under this Department which is located at BijuPatnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar. A Flying Training Institute namely “Govt. Aviation Training Institute” (G.A.T.I.) has been functioning under this Directorate onP.P.P. mode sinceNov, 2008 which started flying from January, 2009 for imparting flying training to the Pupil Pilots of Odisha and elsewhere to make their career as Commercial Pilots.
The State has got 18 airstrips spread over different districts. Out of these airstrips, 12 are owned by the State Government. Efforts are being made for development of these airstrips including constructions of boundary walls to protect them from encroachment and intrusion. Steps are also being taken at Govt. level for acquisition of private land and alienation of Govt. land for construction of a new airstrip at Malkangiri, which is a remote district in KBK area. Apart from this, construction of another Airstrips at Dhamara in the Dist. of Bhadrak by Dhamra Port Company Limited is under active consideration of Government.
BijuPatnaik Airport located at Bhubaneswar is the only International Airport of the State which is function under Airports Authority of India. Facilities for e-VISA, immigration and custom clearance, health and quarantine etc. have been made available at the airport.State Govt. has signed an agreementwith Air Asia Berhad on 17.02.2017 for Direct International Flight from Bhubaneswar to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok and efforts are being made for direct connectivity to international destinations like Abu Dhabi, Singapore and other south-east Asian countries.
