Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, March 19: The long-pending construction of the Jamshedpur (Dhalbhumgarh) Airport reverberated in the Jharkhand Assembly, with Jamshedpur East MLA Purnima Sahu forcefully raising the issue under a non-official resolution and urging the state government to take a more proactive role in expediting the project.
Responding to the concerns, Minister-in-Charge Sudivya Kumar Sonu informed the House that the state government has already submitted its responses to the 19 points raised by the Government of India.
Seeking greater transparency, Sahu demanded that a copy of the response be shared with her to better understand the gaps in coordination between the Centre and the state.
Terming the airport a project of both “public and state importance,” Sahu emphasized the need for stronger collaboration. She proposed a joint meeting involving officials from both the Centre and the state to identify and resolve bottlenecks hindering progress.
Highlighting the project’s economic significance, the MLA noted that the proposed airport would serve as a catalyst for regional development across eastern India.
Key industrial hubs—including Jamshedpur and Adityapur in Jharkhand, Purulia and Kharagpur in West Bengal, and Balasore in Odisha—fall within a 60–100 km radius of the proposed site. The airport, she said, would enhance investor interest and significantly boost the regional economy.
Sahu also assured full cooperation in facilitating the project at any level, if required. The government, in turn, assured the House that a copy of the response sent to the Centre would be made available within a week. Sahu stated that she would revisit the issue in the Assembly after reviewing the document, ensuring sustained focus on the long-delayed project.
