Bhubaneswar, Aug 22: Air connectivity from Jharsuguda to Bhubaneswar and Hyderabad is expected to resume soon, bringing relief to passengers who have been affected by the temporary suspension of flights on the routes.
Jharsuguda MLA Tankadhar Tripathy said efforts are underway to restore the services from Veer Surendra Sai Airport and that the matter has reached the final stage.
Tripathy said he spoke with Chief Secretary Anu Garg and also raised the issue with the Chief Minister’s Office. He expressed confidence that the flight services would restart shortly.
The Hyderabad-Jharsuguda-Bhubaneswar and Bhubaneswar-Jharsuguda-Hyderabad services operated by Star Air were suspended earlier this month, affecting direct air travel between western Odisha, the state capital and Hyderabad.
The suspension has created difficulties for regular passengers, including business travellers, students, professionals and people travelling for medical and personal reasons. Many have had to depend on longer road and rail journeys during the disruption.
According to Veer Surendra Sai Airport Director Upendra Nath Dhaundia, the Star Air services have remained suspended since August 17 and are currently scheduled to remain unavailable until October 24.
The state government’s efforts to restore the routes are expected to provide relief to passengers and strengthen connectivity for western Odisha.
Resumption of the services would also support business, tourism, education and healthcare travel, while improving access between Jharsuguda, Bhubaneswar and Hyderabad.
The development is expected to strengthen Jharsuguda’s role as an important air connectivity hub for western Odisha and improve travel options for people across the region.