Air Odisha contract may be scrapped: Pradhan

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday said the contract of regional airline Air Odisha under the UDAN scheme is likely to be cancelled for discontinuing flight operations from Jharsuguda airport in Odisha.

"Air Odisha is a sub-standard company. The Civil Aviation Ministry is reviewing its status.

"If necessary, steps will be taken to cancel its flight contract and a fresh tender will be floated for a regular flight from the Jharsuguda," Pradhan told media persons here.

He said Air Odisha got the tender for flight operation in the first round of bidding under the regional air connectivity scheme the Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN).

Pradhan said they were in talks with other airline companies like Indian Airlines, SpiceJet and IndiGo for flight operations from that airport.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to restore the flight operations from the Jharsuguda Airport.

Air Odisha has discontinued its flight operations from that airport since October 6 citing no valid reasons.

State Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda said Pradhan should first ask the Centre to name the airport after freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai and added that the Chief Minister has already requested Modi to instruct Air India to start its operations from Bhubaneswar to New Delhi via Jharsuguda.