About Biju Patnaik International Airport

Biju Patnaik International Airport (IATA: BBI, ICAO: VEBS), also known as Bhubaneswar Airport, is situated in the city of Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. It is the sole international airport in the state. It is named after the former Chief Minister of Odisha, Biju Patnaik, who was also a famed aviator and freedom fighter. As of 2013, Bhubaneswar was ranked the 17th busiest airport in India by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) registering a 1.82% traffic growth over the previous year.

On 5 March 2013, a new terminal (T1) was inaugurated by Minister of Civil Aviation, Ajit Singh. The terminal caters to all domestic flights while the older terminal (T2) has been refurbished to support impending international operations. The Government of India accorded international status to the airport on 30 October 2013.

Terminal 1 (Domestic)

The state-of-the-art terminal, inaugurated in March 2013, has a capacity of 4 million passengers per annum and was built at a cost of Rs 145 crore. The new terminal has been developed by the AAI as part of the upgrade of 35 non-metro airports across the country.

Terminal T1, a two-storied building with a total area of 18,240 square metres (196,300 sq ft), consists of 2 aerobridges, 4 elevators, several escalators, 16 check-in counters, 3 arrival luggage conveyors, a spa, and seating areas. It has many lounges like Pal Heights Spa Lounge, Dakota Lounge, Mayfair Lounge and VIP Lounges apart from the Departure and Arrival Lounges.

The terminal is environment friendly, built according to green building standards, with provision for rain water harvesting, sewage treatment plants, etc. The internal walls of the terminal are decorated with tribal motifs, designs, masks, and sculptures, giving travellers a glimpse of Odisha's rich culture. The new terminal also has food kiosks, gift shops, book shops, handloom, art galleries and handicraft kiosks. The terminal was built by Lanco Infratech (Octamec).

Terminal 2 (International)

As of 2014, the airport is planned to start international operations after the 2014 Indian General Elections, connecting the city to Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The Terminal T1 is being used for domestic flights, while the International Terminal (T2) is handling the international flights respectively.

Cargo

The Common User Domestic Cargo Terminal (CUDCT) of Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar is currently under planning. On 19 March 2015, AAI in association with Industrial Promotion & Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited organised a coordination meeting with main agendas such as potential, infrastructural requirements, administrative requirements and available resources, were discussed with the representatives of the airlines and industries.

undo ...back