Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda is set for a ₹2,100-crore expansion after the Centre approved an upgrade package that will extend its runway, add a second terminal and strengthen facilities for larger aircraft and increased passenger traffic.
The proposed works include extending the existing runway from 2,391 metres to 3,600 metres, constructing a second terminal building and developing a new administrative complex. The plan also provides for a parallel taxi track, additional aircraft parking bays and aprons, approach lighting systems and advanced navigational infrastructure.
Bargarh MP Pradeep Purohit said the funds had been sanctioned under a mega international airport upgrade scheme and that the Odisha government was undertaking land acquisition. “For the expansion of VSS Airport, Rs 2,100 crore has been sanctioned under a mega international upgrade scheme. The state govt is taking up land acquisition. After completion of this process, the funds will be utilised for expansion works,” Purohit said, according to the Times of India report.
The airport currently occupies 1,027 acres, while the state is in the process of acquiring an additional 226 acres for the expansion. The acquired land is expected to support the extended runway, new airport buildings and the installation of approach lighting and navigation equipment required for larger aircraft operations.
VSS Airport currently handles around 1,000 passengers a day on flights connecting Jharsuguda with Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar. Officials expect daily traffic to double after the expansion, as additional airlines and routes are introduced. The reported project scope, however, does not specify a completion timeline or identify the future international destinations that could be served from the airport.
The upgrade is expected to improve air access to Jharsuguda and neighbouring districts in western Odisha, with possible implications for trade, industry and tourism. The region’s connectivity to major commercial centres will depend on the completion of land acquisition, the construction schedule and the subsequent expansion of airline operations.
VSS Airport became operational in September 2018 after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was built at a cost of ₹210 crore, including a ₹75-crore contribution from the Odisha government. In August 2019, the airport added Doppler Very High-Frequency Omni Range technology, or DVOR, to improve air navigation and air traffic management. The next formal milestone is the completion of land acquisition before the sanctioned funds are used for the expansion works.
