BPD Airport (BPIA), located in Bhubaneswar, serves as a critical aviation foundation for Eastern India’s aviation network. Renamed after the former Chief Minister and freedom fighter Biju Patnaik, this airport has developed from a provincial terminal into a key international gateway processing more than 4.6 million passengers per annum.
## Historical Evolution and Key Significance https://airport-bbi.com/
### Inception and Formative Years
Commissioned on 17 April 1962, the airport emerged as Odisha’s primary civil air transport center. Its position – 1.8 miles from Bhubaneswar’s city center – offered optimal connectivity.
### Pandemic Resilience and Post-COVID Recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic briefly suspended BBI’s international ambitions, halting inaugural flights to KL and Bangkok. However, May 2023 saw a strong recovery with India’s largest carrier launching flights to Dubai, Singapore, and Bangkok.
Facilities and Functional Capacities
### Terminal Infrastructure
BBI’s paired terminal arrangement efficiently segregates domestic and global traffic:
– T1: Contains eighteen registration desks
– International Terminal: Provides six registration desks
### Landing Strip and Flight Control
The main landing strip (14/32) spans 2.7 kilometers, equipped for accommodating jumbo jets.
Financial Influence and Community Advantages
### Tourism Growth
Odisha’s visitor numbers doubled to 32 million in 2024, associated with BBI’s expanded route map.
### Employment Generation
Airport Authority data indicates over eight thousand positions throughout airport operations, commerce, and air traffic control.
