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The work for the state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower at Biju Patnaik International Airport here has finally begun three years after getting approval from Airports Authority of India.
The modern tower will replace the existing one, which has become obsolete in terms of technology, height and size. The new ATC tower will have 360 degree view of the runway and all the operational areas.
The ATC project will be completed in two years. It will be a 11-storey building (44.2 metres high), almost double the height of current tower at 23.46 metres. The new control tower will ensure security and safety of incoming and outgoing aircraft during emergency situations as it will provide a better view, said airport director Suresh Chandra Hota. The 519 sq metre area of the new tower can cater to all the sections, he added.