The Puri international airport, officially the Shree Jagannath International Airport, has cleared its biggest regulatory hurdle. The Union Environment Ministry has granted the project its final environmental clearance and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance, Puri Collector Dibya Jyoti Parida confirmed in early October 2026 [1]. Officials say the conditions attached to the earlier forest approval have been met [1].

The district administration is now waiting for one final clearance. After that, work is expected to begin in coordination with the Airports Authority of India and the state Commerce and Transport Department [2]. No construction start date has been announced yet.

The project at a glance

  • Estimated cost: Rs 5,631 crore [3]
  • Land: about 471 hectares, or about 1,164 acres [3]
  • Site: Sipasarubali mouza, on the Puri–Brahmagiri road, Brahmagiri tehsil, Puri district [2]
  • Forest land diverted: 27.886 hectares, under the Stage-I approval dated 1 April 2026 [3]
  • Phase-1 capacity: about 4.6 million passengers a year [5]
  • Nearest airport today: Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar, about 60 km from Puri

How it got here

The Civil Aviation Ministry gave in-principle approval in May, after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi pushed to fast-track the project [4]. The Forest Advisory Committee then deferred the proposal. Its concerns were Olive Ridley turtles, Irrawaddy dolphins, migratory birds, and the planned felling of about 13,000 trees that shield the coast from cyclones [4].

The Environment Ministry granted conditional Stage-I forest approval on 1 April 2026 [3]. The final environmental and CRZ clearances followed in October [1].

What the government says it wants

The stated aims are direct air access for the millions of pilgrims who visit the Jagannath Temple, especially during Rath Yatra; less pressure on Bhubaneswar airport; and more international tourists for the Puri–Konark belt [2][3].

Areas to watch

AreaLink to the projectWhat to watchSipasarubali and SandhapurThe airport siteLand acquisition and compensation, not open-market salesPuri–Brahmagiri roadThe airport's frontage roadHotels, logistics and staff housing as construction nearsBrahmagiri townThe nearest town to the siteRental demand from construction and airport workersPuri town and Marine DriveThe pilgrim and beach town the airport servesHotel and short-stay demand once flights are scheduled What owners near Puri can do now

  1. Check whether your land is in the acquisition area. Confirm your plot details on the Odisha land records portal, Bhulekh, and match the village against the district's acquisition notices.
  2. Don't pay an "airport premium" on a verbal promise. Ask the seller for the plot's position on an official map and its land-use classification before buying.
  3. Think about use, not only price. If you are weighing whether to keep land or a house in the area, our guide on whether to hold or sell an Indian property sets out the questions to ask.

What happens next

  • The final clearance the Collector is waiting for
  • Selection of the developer or construction agency, and the contract value
  • A construction start date and a target year for the first flight

An older report of a "Rs 2,203 crore PPP tender with a 1,095-day build" is being reshared with 2026 dates. It predates June 2024 and is not current.

More from Odisha Development Watch

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This article reports public information for general awareness. It is not investment or legal advice.

Sources

  1. OdishaBytes, October 2026: Puri airport project gets final environment clearance, construction set to take off.
  2. Deccan Chronicle: Puri greenfield airport project moves closer to construction.
  3. Swarajya, 5 April 2026: Puri's Shree Jagannath International Airport secures Stage-I forest clearance.
  4. OdishaBytes: Puri airport project hits roadblock as FAC defers clearance.
  5. OdishaBytes: Puri International Airport project makes progress with grant of key approvals (Rajya Sabha reply on Phase-1 capacity).