Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia inaugurated the Utkela airport in Odisha. Developed as a regional airport under the UDAN scheme, the airport has been established at a cost of Rs 31.07 crore.

The new Utkela-Bhubaneswar-Utkela flight route is set to enhance regional air connectivity, playing a crucial role in promoting economic growth in the area.

The flights on this route will be operated by IndiaOne, utilizing 9-seater Cessna C-208 aircraft as part of the UDAN scheme. The Utkela airport boasts a 917-meter (2,995 ft.) runway with a width of 30 meters. With the addition of Utkela Airport, Odisha now boasts five airports.

Scindia highlighted that the new Utkela-Bhubaneswar air connectivity will significantly reduce travel time from the existing nearly 8-hour road journey, making it possible to cover the distance in just one hour and twenty minutes.