Sukinda Airstrip

The closure was primarily due to economic and logistical factors. The main reasons include:
1. **Improved Road Infrastructure:** The development and significant improvement of national and state highways connecting the Sukinda valley to major cities like Bhubaneswar and Cuttack made road travel more convenient and cost-effective.
2. **Economic Viability:** The high cost of maintaining a private runway, security, and ground facilities for infrequent corporate flights became unjustifiable once viable ground transportation alternatives were available.
3. **Logistical Shift:** As road travel times decreased, it became more practical for company executives and officials to fly into Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) in Bhubaneswar and travel the remaining distance (approx. 100-120 km) by car.

The physical airstrip is still visible on satellite imagery, but it is no longer operational or maintained for aviation. The runway surface is degraded and overgrown in places. The site is essentially abandoned as an airfield and is reportedly used by local residents as an open space, a driving practice area, or a local thoroughfare. The land is understood to remain under the ownership of Tata Steel.

The Sukinda Airstrip was a private airfield of significant importance to the region's mining industry. It was primarily built, owned, and operated by Tata Steel to serve its Sukinda Chromite Mine, one of the largest open-cast chromite ore mines in the world.

When active, its operations were focused on:
- **Corporate & VIP Transport:** Facilitating quick and direct travel for company executives, engineers, government officials, and other VIPs to and from the remote mining complex.
- **Emergency Services:** Potentially used for emergency medical evacuations from the mines and associated townships.
- **Logistical Support:** It provided a vital link for the administration and management of the massive mining operations before the area was well-connected by modern roads.

While there are no plans to reopen it as a private corporate airstrip, there have been significant discussions and proposals to develop a commercial airport in the region to serve the Kalinganagar-Jajpur industrial and mining hub. The Sukinda Airstrip has been officially identified by the Government of Odisha as a potential site for this new airport. The plan would involve acquiring the land and developing it into a full-fledged airport, likely under the Indian government's regional connectivity UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme. As of early 2024, these plans are in the proposal and survey stage, and a definitive timeline for development and commencement of operations has not been established.