Ola becomes 1st to launch ride-hailing operations at Ayodhya Airport
Ride-hailing company Ola on Monday launched cab operations at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya.
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday requested Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu to examine the techno-economic feasibility for setting up an Airport at Paradip as proposed by Paradip Port.
Paradip is certainly on its way to realize its potential to be an example of port-led growth and emerge as business and cultural hub for eastern India and provide linkages to South-East Asian nations.
However, the grand vision of development of Paradip would remain incomplete without an Airport providing air connectivity, as the nearest airport – Biju Pattanaik International airport at Bhubaneswar is 135 kms away and takes more than 3 hours by road, submitted Pradhan.
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Paradip is one of the major ports of the country to handle over 100 mmt of cargo and by 2020 it will have a capacity to handle 323 mmt cargo per annum.
It is close to the mineral belt and is declared as a Smart Port Industrial City. A major industrial hub is emerging in the area with a refinery of 15 MMTPA capacity, a 12 MMTPA pellet plant, 2 Fertilizer plants together of 4 MMTPA capacity and one edible oil refinery.
In addition, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas is implementing several big ticket industrial projects, including expansion of refinery, plastic park etc.
These initiatives require seamless connectivity. Massive expansion of road and rail network such as 8-laning of Chandikhole-Paradip National Highway, construction of Digha-Gopalpur Coastal Highway via Paradip and Haridaspur- Paradip railway line is underway, said Pradhan in his letter to Prabhu while pleading for a Airport.
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