The Airports Authority of India will develop the Shree Jagannath International Airport at Sipasarubali in Puri, Odisha, at an estimated cost of ₹5,631 crore. The greenfield airport will be Puri’s first airport and Odisha’s second international airport after Bhubaneswar. It aims to give direct air access to the Jagannath Temple town, which draws lakhs of pilgrims every year.
What Is the Shree Jagannath International Airport Project?
The Shree Jagannath International Airport (SJIA) is a proposed greenfield airport for Puri. A greenfield airport means an airport built from scratch on a new site, where no airport existed before. The Odisha government has named it after Lord Jagannath, the presiding deity of the famous Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
The project will come up in three phases at a total estimated cost of ₹5,631 crore. The plan includes a 3,700 metre runway, a new terminal, air traffic control facilities and related airport infrastructure. When fully built, it will handle both domestic and international flights.
| Project Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official name | Shree Jagannath International Airport (SJIA) |
| Common search names | Puri Airport, Jagannath Puri Airport, Puri International Airport |
| Location | Sipasarubali and Sandhapur, Brahmagiri area, Puri district, Odisha |
| Project cost | ₹5,631 crore in three phases |
| Land area | About 471.348 hectares for the airport site, with total project area of about 1,464 acres |
| Proposed runway | 3,700 metres |
| Developer and operator | Airports Authority of India (AAI) |
| Status | Environmental and coastal clearance granted, final clearance awaited |
Developer Role, Mandate and Project Execution
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will fund and build the Puri airport. AAI is the public body that builds, manages and maintains most civilian airports in India. It was formed on 1 April 1995 by merging the International Airports Authority of India and the National Airports Authority. It functions under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India Act, 1994. AAI is headquartered at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi and has the status of a Miniratna Category 1 public sector enterprise.
As an airport developer, AAI designs runways, builds passenger and cargo terminals and provides communication and navigation aids such as radar and landing systems. As an air navigation service provider, it controls and manages Indian airspace. In Puri, AAI surveyed the site in 2021 and 2022 and is now coordinating with the Odisha Commerce and Transport Department and the Puri district administration to start construction after final approval.
How Many Airports Does AAI Manage?
The Airports Authority of India manages about 134 operational airports across India (as of October 2026), including 26 international, 12 customs and 96 domestic airports with civil enclaves. It also provides air navigation services over 2.8 million square nautical miles of airspace.
Where Will the Airport Come Up? Location and Bhubaneswar Link
The Puri airport site lies at Sipasarubali and Sandhapur under Brahmagiri in Puri district. It sits along the Puri to Brahmagiri road, a few kilometres from the main town and the coast. The spot was picked because it is close to Puri town, the Jagannath Temple, the Golden Beach and Konark. The low elevation of about 7 metres above sea level is typical for this coastal plain.
Land work started in 2023 for about 1,164 acres, including 68 acres of forest land and about 221 acres of private land at Sipasarubali and Sandhapur. The district administration held public hearings on relief and rehabilitation for Sipasarubali villagers in March 2025. The state draft rehabilitation package follows the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
Road links are a central part of the plan. At present, Bhubaneswar and Puri are joined by National Highway 316, a stretch of about 60 to 66 km. The state has proposed a six lane access controlled expressway from Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar to the Puri airport site. The new road will cut the distance to about 57 km and travel time to about 30 minutes at a design speed of 120 km per hour.
Is There Any Airport in Puri Now? Nearest Airport and Distance Guide
No, Puri has no operational airport at present (as of October 2026). The nearest working airport is Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) in Bhubaneswar, about 60 km away. All flyers for Jagannath Temple currently land in Bhubaneswar and travel to Puri by road or rail.
The Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) serves Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. Its airport codes are BBI in IATA code and VEBS in ICAO code. The airport is operated by AAI and has separate terminals for domestic and international flights. It connects to major Indian cities and to international hubs such as Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok.
Pilgrims usually cover the last leg by taxi, bus or train. A private taxi on NH 316 takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes to reach Puri town and the temple area. The proposed Puri airport will remove this road transfer and place the runway within a short drive of the temple, the beach and the Konark circuit.
| Route | Distance and Time |
|---|---|
| Bhubaneswar Airport (BBI) to Puri town | About 60 km, 1 hour 15 minutes by road |
| Bhubaneswar Airport (BBI) to Jagannath Temple | About 60 to 62 km, 1 hour 20 minutes by road |
| Proposed Puri airport to Jagannath Temple | Short local drive within Puri area |
What Clearances Does a Greenfield Airport Need? Project Status
A greenfield airport in India follows the Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008 of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The process has two early steps. First comes site clearance. Then comes in principle approval from a central steering committee. After that, the developer needs land, a Detailed Project Report, environmental clearance, forest clearance where forest land is involved, coastal regulation zone clearance for coastal sites, and finally an aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Puri has moved step by step through this chain. The Union government gave site clearance in 2023. The Expert Appraisal Committee examined the Environment Impact Assessment report prepared for the project. The Odisha Coastal Zone Management Authority recommended the proposal for composite clearance in March 2024. Stage 1 forest clearance was granted on 27 February 2026. On 7 and 8 October 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change granted environmental clearance and Coastal Regulation Zone clearance for development on 471.348 hectares at Sipasarubali.
The path has not been smooth. The Forest Advisory Committee had deferred forest clearance in July 2025 over the likely impact on Olive Ridley sea turtles and Irrawaddy dolphins and over the proposed felling of about 13,000 trees on a coast exposed to frequent cyclones. In September 2025, the eastern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued notices to the central and state governments on alleged environmental violations linked to early work. The NGT is a quasi judicial body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 to hear environmental disputes. Puri Collector Dibyajyoti Parida said in early October 2026 that forest related issues had been resolved and only final clearance was awaited before construction in coordination with AAI.
| Milestone | Date and Position |
|---|---|
| Demand for Puri airport raised by Odisha | 2021 |
| Site clearance under Greenfield Airports Policy | 2023 |
| Terms of Reference for Environment Impact Assessment | 20 November 2023 |
| Coastal zone recommendation by Odisha authority | 16 March 2024 |
| Expert Appraisal Committee recommendation for environmental clearance | 26 June 2025 |
| Forest Advisory Committee deferral over turtles, dolphins and trees | July 2025 |
| NGT notices on alleged violations | September 2025 |
| Stage 1 forest clearance | 27 February 2026 |
| Environmental and coastal clearance | October 2026 |
| Final approval and start of construction | Awaited |
When Will Puri Airport Open?
The Puri airport has no fixed opening date yet. The Odisha draft civil aviation policy targets commissioning of Shree Jagannath International Airport by December 2029. The actual start of flights will depend on final central clearance, land handover, tendering and construction in three phases.
Why Puri Needs Its Own Airport
Puri is one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage centres of Hinduism, along with Badrinath, Dwarka and Rameswaram. Its Shree Jagannath Temple, built in the 12th century by the Eastern Ganga dynasty, draws crores of devotees. The annual Rath Yatra, in which the deities are taken out on large chariots, brings lakhs of visitors in a few days. The town also anchors the Golden Triangle of Odisha tourism with Bhubaneswar and Konark, home to the 13th century Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Direct flights will cut travel time for pilgrims, senior citizens and international tourists. November to January already sees peak search and travel demand for Puri, linked to the winter pilgrimage and beach season. Better air access can spread arrivals through the year, support hotels, guides, local transport and temple town services, and help Odisha pitch Puri for global Buddhist and coastal circuits. The state also plans an international cruise terminal at Puri by 2028, so the airport and the port can jointly lift coastal tourism.
Odisha Airport Network in Context
Puri will fit into a wider aviation push. Odisha now has one international airport at Bhubaneswar and four domestic airports at Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Jeypore and Utkela. Veer Surendra Sai Airport at Jharsuguda was inaugurated in September 2018 and handles Airbus A320 aircraft. Rourkela airport is being transferred from Steel Authority of India (SAIL) to AAI for expansion to handle larger jets. Jeypore and Utkela serve regional routes supported by the state government.
| Airport | District and Role |
|---|---|
| Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar | Khurda, sole international gateway, operated by AAI |
| Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda | Jharsuguda, western Odisha industrial hub |
| Rourkela Airport | Sundargarh, steel city, under expansion for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 |
| Jeypore Airport | Koraput, southern Odisha regional link |
| Utkela Airport | Kalahandi, regional link |
| Shree Jagannath International Airport, Puri | Puri, proposed second international airport for pilgrimage and tourism |
The draft Odisha Civil Aviation Policy 2026 aims to raise operational airports from five to ten and annual passenger traffic from about five million to ten million by 2029. It proposes a second greenfield international airport at Paradip for cargo and industry, along with heliports, maintenance facilities and cargo hubs. Puri and Bhubaneswar are planned as linked hubs, with Jharsuguda, Jeypore, Rourkela and Paradip as secondary hubs under a hub and spoke model.
The Way Forward
Construction can begin once final central approval is secured and land is fully handed over. AAI will then call tenders, appoint contractors and build in phases so early operations can start while later expansion continues. The October 2026 environmental and coastal clearances set conditions on drainage, waste, green cover and coastal protection that must be met during building and operation.
Sensitive ecology will need close watch. The coast near Puri is a nesting ground for Olive Ridley turtles and a habitat linked to Irrawaddy dolphins and migratory birds. Compensatory planting for felled trees, turtle friendly lighting and strict construction control will decide how well growth and conservation are balanced. If timelines hold, the state expects commissioning by December 2029, giving Puri its first direct air link in time for the next cycle of tourism growth.
Key Takeaways
- AAI will develop the Shree Jagannath International Airport in Puri, Odisha at a cost of ₹5,631 crore in three phases.
- The airport site is at Sipasarubali and Sandhapur in Puri district, with a proposed 3,700 metre runway on about 471 hectares.
- Puri has no operational airport at present, the nearest airport is Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) in Bhubaneswar, about 60 km away.
- Environmental and CRZ clearance was granted in October 2026, while Stage 1 forest clearance was granted on 27 February 2026.
- AAI, formed on 1 April 1995 and headquartered in New Delhi, manages about 134 operational airports in India.
- Odisha targets commissioning of the Puri airport by December 2029 under the draft Odisha Civil Aviation Policy 2026.
