According to sources, flight services were started to Bhubaneswar and Chhattisgarh from the VSS Airport after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 22. However, since October 7 no flight has landed or taken off from the new airport as Air Odisha suspended its flight without any intimation, according to the VSS Airport officials.
The last flight operated from the airport on October 6 and since then, all flights have remained suspended by the airlines citing internal and technical issues, VSS Airport Director SK Chauhan said.
The Centre issued the show cause notice to Air Odisha and threatened to cancel its licence if it fails to start the flight service immediately.
A day earlier, Jharsuguda MLA Naba Das along with his supporters sat on a dharna outside the airport demanding regular flight operation.
Prasanta Patnaik