Kandhamal is a district without a railway line. That single fact explains the urgency behind every call to operationalise Gudari Airstrip near Phulbani — the district headquarters. Unlike most of Odisha, where road connectivity is at least supplemented by a rail corridor, Kandhamal’s residents navigate entirely by road through the ghat terrain of the Eastern Ghats. Bhubaneswar is approximately 200 kilometres away, but the winding hill roads stretch the journey to 5 to 6 hours. Landslides and prolonged rainfall can cut the district off entirely for days. Against this backdrop, Gudari Airstrip — built roughly four decades ago, serviceable, 90 acres, with a tarmacadam runway, carrying ICAO code VEPN and no IATA code — has become a persistent symbol of both Kandhamal’s connectivity aspiration and its aviation neglect. PM Modi’s aircraft landed here during the 2024 General Elections campaign. The airstrip can handle VIP and government aircraft. It has never seen a scheduled commercial passenger flight.
Quick Overview: Gudari Airstrip
| Detail | Information |
| Airport Name | Gudari Airstrip (also: Phulbani Airstrip; Phulbani Gudari Airstrip) |
| Location | Near Phulbani, Kandhamal district, Odisha, India |
| Airport Type | Public — Non-operational for scheduled commercial flights |
| IATA Code | Not Assigned |
| ICAO Code | VEPN |
| Owner | Government of Odisha (Commerce and Transport Department) |
| Built | ~1980s (approximately four decades ago) |
| Runway Designation | 11/29 (East-West oriented per state PDF) |
| Runway Length | ~1,080–1,120 m (3,500–4,592 ft) — asphalt/black top |
| Total Area | ~90 acres |
| Elevation | 530 m / 1,736 ft AMSL |
| Coordinates | 20°27′52″N, 84°15′55″E |
| Condition | Serviceable |
| Nearest Airstrip | Nuagaon Airstrip (Tusura, Balangir) |
| Nearest Commercial Airport | Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar (~200 km) |
| Flight Information Region | Kolkata FIR |
| Scheduled Commercial Flights | None |
| Notable Use | PM Modi landing during 2024 General Elections campaign |
| Railway Connectivity | None — Kandhamal is one of few Odisha districts without rail |
Gudari Airstrip Location: Phulbani’s Hill-Town Setting
Gudari Airstrip is located near Phulbani, the headquarters of Kandhamal district in south-central Odisha. The coordinates are 20°27′52″N, 84°15′55″E, at an elevation of 530 metres above sea level — the Eastern Ghats plateau terrain where Kandhamal sits above the surrounding lowlands. The runway’s east-west orientation runs across this plateau terrain in the Gudari area outside Phulbani town.
Kandhamal’s identity is shaped by its tribal communities — primarily Kondh and Kui-speaking Adivasi groups — and by two things that have made it nationally known in very different ways: the Kandhamal turmeric, a GI-tagged variety cultivated on the district’s forested slopes that is considered among India’s finest, and the 2008 communal violence that disrupted the district’s social fabric severely. The district has since rebuilt, and its tourism potential — forested hills, waterfalls, and the distinctive Kandhamal cultural landscape — has been increasingly promoted by the Odisha government.
For a district whose only connectivity to the rest of the state is road and road alone, the airstrip represents the most direct aviation solution to an acute isolation problem. Bhubaneswar is about 200 km but 5 to 6 hours by road through mountain terrain. During monsoon months, when the ghat roads are susceptible to landslides and flooding, the isolation intensifies. A functioning commercial airstrip would reduce emergency response times for medical evacuations and connect district officials, traders, and tourists far more efficiently than any road improvement alone can achieve.
Gudari Airstrip Code: ICAO VEPN — No IATA Code
Gudari Airstrip carries ICAO code VEPN. No IATA code has been assigned — consistent with a public airstrip that has no scheduled commercial operations and therefore no need for a commercial booking identifier. VEPN places it in the VE eastern India block. The airstrip does not publish METAR weather data. Nearest weather reference is Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport, approximately 200 km east.
Gudari Airstrip Terminal: Built Decades Ago, Used for VIP Landings
Gudari Airstrip was constructed approximately four decades ago — placing its origin in the 1980s when several Odisha district airstrips were laid out under central and state infrastructure programmes. The 90-acre site with its east-west runway has been maintained by Odisha’s Commerce and Transport Department in serviceable condition ever since, handling state government aircraft, VIP movements, and official visits to Phulbani.
The airstrip’s most recent high-profile use was PM Modi’s campaign aircraft landing during the 2024 General Elections — confirming that the facility can handle aircraft of national VIP designation. The capacity is clearly there for operational use; what has been absent is the commercial framework, DGCA licensing for passenger operations, and airline interest under UDAN.
The runway at approximately 1,080 to 1,120 metres is in a transitional length range — longer than the bare minimum for Cessna 208B operations, but likely requiring strengthening and ILS installation before UDAN commercial service could formally begin. The state government’s broader plan to upgrade 14 airstrips across Odisha into operational airports includes Kandhamal in its aspirational scope.
Local residents and intellectuals have publicly urged the state government to operationalise the airstrip for regular civil aviation. The nearest working UDAN airport — Utkela Airport (UKE, Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi district) — is over 100 km away in a neighbouring district. Utkela itself handles only twice-weekly Cessna services, giving Kandhamal an indirect glimpse of what UDAN operationalisation can achieve.
Gudari Airstrip Connectivity: No Scheduled Flights; Road the Only Public Option
By Air: No scheduled commercial passenger flights operate from Gudari Airstrip as of mid-2026. The airstrip is used for VIP and government aircraft. For commercial aviation, Kandhamal residents travel by road to Bhubaneswar (approximately 200 km, 5 to 6 hours) to use Biju Patnaik International Airport.
By Road: Phulbani is connected by road to Bhubaneswar (~200 km, 5–6 hours via NH-59 and SH-22), Berhampur (~170 km south, 4–5 hours), and Boudh (~60 km northwest). Ghat roads through the Eastern Ghats dominate the connectivity — scenic but slow and landslide-prone during monsoon. Local taxis connect Phulbani to the airstrip and to other district locations.
By Rail: Kandhamal district has no railway line — one of very few districts in Odisha and eastern India to have no rail connectivity whatsoever. The nearest broad-gauge stations are at Boudh Road or Phulbani Road on peripheral branch lines, both requiring long road transfers.
Gudari Airstrip Amenities: Government Airstrip, No Public Facilities
There are no public passenger amenities at Gudari Airstrip. The government-maintained facility has a serviceable runway, a basic apron, and minimal operational infrastructure for VIP and government aircraft. No passenger terminal for commercial use, no check-in counters, no departure lounge, no food services, and no commercial ground transport desk exist.
FAQs: Gudari Airstrip
Q1. Does Gudari Airstrip have an IATA code?
No. Gudari Airstrip carries only the ICAO code VEPN. No IATA code has been assigned as the airstrip has no scheduled commercial operations.
Q2. Has Gudari Airstrip ever been used by a major aircraft?
Yes. PM Modi’s aircraft landed at Gudari Airstrip during the 2024 General Elections campaign — confirming the facility can handle VIP-grade aircraft and is operationally serviceable for aviation use.
Q3. Why is Kandhamal so dependent on this airstrip?
Kandhamal district has no railway line and relies entirely on road transport. Roads through the Eastern Ghats terrain take 5 to 6 hours to Bhubaneswar and are vulnerable to monsoon disruptions. Aviation is the only practical alternative to road for fast connectivity.
Q4. What commercial flights could realistically operate from Gudari?
A UDAN-scheme Cessna 208B (9-seat) or similar small turboprop service to Bhubaneswar would be the most logical initial route — similar to what IndiaOne Air operates at Jeypore, Berhampur, and Utkela.
Q5. What is the nearest commercial airport to Phulbani?
Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar (BBI) at approximately 200 km is the nearest major commercial airport. Utkela Airport (UKE, Bhawanipatna) at approximately 100 km is the nearest UDAN-operational airport, with IndiaOne Air Cessna services to Bhubaneswar.
