Biju Dakota Soon to Reach

Bhubaneswar(KCN): Bishnupada Sethi, Principal Secretary Commerce & Transport is coordinating the efforts to bring the Iconic Dakota aircraft of Legandary Statesman Biju Patnaik, which will reach soon at Bhubaneswar from Kolkata. As the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has agreed to hand over 1.1 acre land on the premises of the Biju Patnaik International Airport here for the purpose, the process to bring back Dakota is being geared up.
Efforts to transport the aircraft to Odisha were made in the last two years, too, and tender was also floated for the initiative, but the COVID-19 pandemic stalled the plan, a senior official said.
“The State Administration is now all set to complete the process as the AAI, at its recent board meeting, accepted the state government’s proposal to lease out 1.1 acre of land for setting up a memorial, where the aircraft will be put up for display,” said a senior official. \Official sources said, the aircraft, which is 64 feet and 8 inches long, with its wings stretching to 95 feet, will be dismantled for transportation by road to Bhubaneswar from the Kolkata airport. The parts will then be reassembled here after necessary repairs, said sources.