Odisha CM Launches Bhubaneswar–Jharsuguda Flight Service

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday flagged off a new flight service connecting Bhubaneswar to Jharsuguda from the Biju Patnaik International Airport. The service, operated by a 76-seater Star Air aircraft, has been introduced under the Odisha New Destination Policy with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support.

Marking the launch, the Chief Minister handed over the first boarding pass to a passenger at the airport. The flight will currently operate five days a week—Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday—and will complete the Bhubaneswar–Jharsuguda journey in just 45 minutes. Plans are underway to upgrade it to a daily service soon.

Calling the development “historic,” Majhi said the new air link would bring Western Odisha closer to the state capital and significantly boost industrial growth, tourism, and cultural exchanges.

The Chief Minister highlighted that Bhubaneswar is already connected to four international destinations—Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi—along with 39 domestic and international routes. Within Odisha, flights currently operate to Rourkela, Utkela, and Jeypur.

Majhi further announced plans to establish a Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) facility at Bhubaneswar Airport, reiterating his government’s vision to build a world-class aviation ecosystem in the state.

“Odisha will emerge as a leading state in the aviation sector in the coming years,” he said.

Deputy Chief Ministers K.V. Singh Deo and Parvathi Parida, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Minister Gokulanand Mallick, along with several MLAs, were present at the inaugural ceremony.