Latest news with #BijuPatnaikInternationalAirport
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
25kg marijuana worth Rs 30cr seized from 3 flyers at city airport
Bhubaneswar: Sleuths of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Tuesday seized more than 25 kg of marijuana worth Rs 30 crore and detained three passengers who arrived from Bangkok at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now DRI officers said it was the largest ever haul of contraband in India being transported via air. The three passengers, who were in possession of around 70 packets of marijuana packed as food items to hoodwink enforcement agencies, were identified as carriers. Their identities have not been disclosed. DRI officers said the high-quality marijuana was grown using the hydroponic method. DRI and customs officers are interrogating the passengers, who, before boarding the flight in Bangkok, somehow managed to escape mechanical scanners and security personnel. "So far, we know that they are carriers and to get easy money (maybe around Rs 50,000 per consignment), they carried the contraband. Their interrogation will reveal the main trader in Bangkok and to which locations they were going to supply the contraband. The large consignment was not meant only for Odisha," said a senior DRI officer on the condition of anonymity. DRI officers said moments after the flight took off from Bangkok, they received a tip that the huge marijuana consignment was coming to BPIA. "We positioned our staff and took the help of customs as well. The scanners provided hazy images, but physical checks revealed the contraband. Each packet was unwrapped and weighed," the officer added. DRI officers also said that in the recent past, marijuana smuggling detected in airports and other places had their origin in Bangkok. "In this case, we will ascertain whether marijuana cultivation is done in Bangkok and whether the contraband is supplied across India using carriers through a network, whose tentacles spread across cities. The help of local authorities also may be taken to find out who carries out such contraband deals," an officer said. DRI officers said it is too early to comment on the possible consumers in Odisha.
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Time of India
Odisha horror: 15-year-old girl set on fire by miscreants airlifted to AIIMS Delhi; condition critical
BHUBNANESWAR: An air ambulance carrying the 15-year-old girl, who was set on fire by three bike-borne miscreants on Saturday in Puri district, took off from Biju Patnaik International Airport on Sunday. The flight will arrive in Delhi, and then the girl will be taken to AIIMS Delhi for treatment. After getting the green signal from the Odisha govt, AIIMS Bhubaneswar discussed with AIIMS Delhi and prepared for the airlifting of the girl to Delhi. 'As her condition remains critical, a decision was taken to airlift the patient to AIIMS Delhi,' said the hospital authorities on Sunday. The girl sustained 70-75 percent burn injuries. AIIMS Bhubaneswar was constantly in touch with AIIMS Delhi for the treatment of the girl. Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday evening told the media that they could airlift the patient to AIIMS Delhi if the situation demanded. The girl was taken in a life support ambulance at around 12.30 pm from AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The ambulance was taken via road to Biju Patnaik International Airport for airlifting. Traffic DCP Tapan Mohanty said they made a green corridor to take the patient to the airport in 10 minutes. AIIMS Bhubaneswar Executive Director Ashutosh Biswas said the condition of the girl is critical. 'She sustained 70-75 percent burns. She is mentally and physically traumatised. She needs cardiovascular care,' he added. On Saturday, he said they were trying to keep her blood pressure under control. She was in ICU with oxygen support but not on a ventilator. They were observing her closely and monitoring her vitals, cardiac problems, and respiratory system. The patient was conscious and speaking. The young girl, a Class IX dropout, was walking to a relative's house on the village outskirts, one kilometre away from her home, when the horrific attack occurred at around 8.30 am on Saturday. After the girl screamed out of pain, the miscreants fled the spot. The girl ran towards a house and asked for help. The family members of the house doused her flames and gave her new clothes to wear. Later, police and family members of the girl took her to AIIMS Bhubaneswar. This incident created a hue and cry in the state. Political parties have started demonstrations and protest dharnas at the hospital, demanding justice for the girl. The incident happened exactly a week after the incident of the Balasore girl's self-immolation.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Proposed T3 terminal at city airport to have arrival & departure facilities
Bhubaneswar: Authorities of Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here have dropped the plan of segregated arrival and departure in two terminals (T1 & T3) and have decided to redesign the proposed T3 terminal into a standalone integrated facility. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now T-3 will be built over a 65,000 sqm area and will be able to handle 86 lakh flyers annually and 3,000 in an hour during peak time. An integrated terminal has departure and arrival facilities in one building. "In a meeting with stakeholders, we decided that it (T3) will be designed to handle both arrivals and departures. Segregation would have brought difficulties in handling passengers and other operations at both lounges," said BPIA director Prasanna Pradhan. "There is land available for the project in the operational area and close to the T1 building. There are altogether 18 aprons for aircraft to enter bays, but after the T3 is built, six more aerobridges will be required," he added. Officials privy to the development said the cost estimate for the project could touch Rs 1,000 crore. "The project estimate has been done. Now it needs to be passed to the board to start the project," an official said. The city airport had only one terminal before 2013, with the old domestic terminal converted into the international terminal (T2). In March 2013, a new state-of-the-art domestic terminal was constructed at a cost of Rs 145 crore on a modular pattern to allow further expansion. It can handle around 1,000 flyers at a time. Officials said that considering the air traffic, passenger comfort and commercial activities, the design of the new terminal will be finalised. Currently, the airport witnesses a daily footfall of more than 15,000. Five domestic destinations — Patna, Lucknow, Kochi, Jaipur, Dehradun and Indore — were recently added. Other cities directly connected with Bhubaneswar are Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, Ranchi, Allahabad, Hyderabad, Raipur, Varanasi and Ahmedabad.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Capital airport conducts mock drill
Bhubaneswar: Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) on Monday conducted a comprehensive full-scale emergency exercise, demonstrating its preparedness in handling major aviation incidents. The drill, held in the aftermath of the Ahmedabad air crash that killed 260, including 241 flyers, simulated a critical emergency scenario involving an A321 commercial aircraft with 222 passengers. Airport officials said the exercise depicted an aircraft reporting an engine fire warning before crash-landing within the airport premises, resulting in multiple fire locations and casualties scattered across a 500-metre radius. "The simulation tested the airport's emergency response capabilities and multi-agency coordination. Over 200 personnel from 11 various agencies participated in the drill, including Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF), Odisha Fire Service, CISF, State Police, NDRF, airlines, and medical services. The exercise featured realistic elements such as crash fire tenders, ambulances, and volunteer 'victims' on stretchers, with temporary medical facilities enhancing the training's authenticity," airport director Prasanna Pradhan said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Emphasising the importance of such exercises, Pradhan said, "Today's exercise demonstrated the strength of our partnerships and the high level of readiness across all emergency response teams." Representatives from regulatory agencies and aviation safety organisations were present to evaluate the drill and provide feedback for future improvements. The exercise highlighted the airport's commitment to passenger and staff safety while testing the effectiveness of its Airport Emergency Plan (AEP). "Lessons learned and observations from the drill will be incorporated into the airport's emergency response protocols to enhance future preparedness," Pradhan added. Similar exercise was carried out at Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda. The drill was part of the periodic testing of the AEP and was aimed to assess the airport's preparedness and inter-agency coordination in responding to a major aircraft accident scenario within the aerodrome vicinity. The drill simulated the crash of a commercial aircraft carrying 80 passengers and 4 crew members just before landing. The emergency scenario was triggered through a mock distress call received by the Air Traffic Control, activating a swift response from airport fire services and support agencies.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Post-AI crash, pilots grounding flights over minor glitches: Experts
Bhubaneswar: Following the June 12 Air India (AI) crash in Ahmedabad, pilots are now grounding planes at the slightest hint of technical error, say aviation experts. Even a minor blink in the altimeter prompts a pilot to seek engineering help, and the flight is grounded. Experts say that unless the pilot feels safe, he or she can ground the flight and bring it back to the bay. But they also feel that too much caution may not be good. Recently, a bird hit on the side of the aircraft engine of a Bhubaneswar-Kolkata flight delayed take-off at Biju Patnaik International Airport, with passengers being shifted to another aircraft. In another case, the pilot of a Bhubaneswar-Delhi Air India flight declined to take-off as an altimeter blinked, leading him to seek engineering assistance. You Can Also Check: Bhubaneswar AQI | Weather in Bhubaneswar | Bank Holidays in Bhubaneswar | Public Holidays in Bhubaneswar "Safety is extremely important, and all rulebooks should be followed. However, there are minor incidents that may be inconsequential. Things will settle down in a month or two. The Ahmedabad incident is still fresh," airport director Prasanna Pradhan pointed out. Former Air India captain Manmath Routray said pilots follow the Master Equipment List (MEL) before taking off, and unless that is ensured, safety is not guaranteed. "By now, if not detailed, preliminary reasons behind the Ahmedabad crash should have come out. This will help boost the morale of pilots and help subside apprehension. Now, pilots seem to be experiencing some nerves during take-off," Routray told TOI.
