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Airports

Odisha's Proposed International Airport Faces Hurdle Over Wildlife Concerns

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Odisha government's plans to establish an international airport in Puri have hit a roadblock, with the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) deferring its clearance due to concerns over the potential harm to Olive Ridley turtles, Irrawaddy dolphins, and migratory birds. The committee has asked the state government to take a precautionary approach and seek comments from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) before finalizing the project. The proposed airport, cleared by the Union Aviation Ministry on May 5, is to be built on 471 hectares of land in Puri district's Sipasarubali, requiring the felling of 13,000 trees that protect the coastline from cyclones.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has deferred clearance for the proposed international airport in Odisha's Puri due to concerns over wildlife.
  • The committee raised concerns about the potential harm to Olive Ridley turtles, Irrawaddy dolphins, and migratory birds, as well as the impact of cutting 13,000 trees that protect the coastline from cyclones.
  • The FAC has directed the Odisha government to justify the felling of trees and submit a mitigation plan for climate eventualities.
  • The proposed airport requires the use of 27.88 hectares of forest land and is estimated to cost ₹5,631 crore.
  • The regional office of the Forest Department had raised concerns over the potential risks to not only turtle nesting sites in Brahmagiri forest division but also lakhs of migratory birds that visit the Chilika estuarine lake.
  • The Odisha government has sought comments from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) on the project and has proposed a site-specific wildlife conservation plan.
  • The project's impact on migratory birds, particularly through the Central Asian Flyway, has been raised as a concern for the Odisha government, which claims that flights have been operating in the same airspace without adverse impact on bird migration.

Statistics:

  • 13,000 trees to be cut down for the proposed airport
  • 27.88 hectares of forest land required for the project
  • ₹5,631 crore estimated cost of the project
  • 345 Olive Ridley turtle nests detected in the Brahmagiri range as of March 20 this year
  • 39,811 eggs collected from turtle nests
  • 388 hatchlings released into the sea from these nests
  • 1,400 meters-long boundary wall built on forest land in violation of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, and Coastal Regulation Zone.

Sources:

  • The Indian Express (P) Ltd (2025)
  • Contify.com (2025)
  • Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
  • Union Aviation Ministry
  • Odisha government
  • Forest Department, Odisha

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