Puri is one of the four Hindu dhams — the sacred pilgrimage destinations that define the spiritual compass of the subcontinent. The Jagannath Temple, where Lord Jagannath (a form of Vishnu-Krishna) is enshrined alongside Balabhadra and Subhadra, draws millions of pilgrims annually. The Rath Yatra — when the deities are placed on massive wooden chariots and pulled by devotees through Puri’s Grand Road — is one of the world’s largest annual processions. For a city of this sacred magnitude, the nearest airport being 64 kilometres away in Bhubaneswar has always felt like a structural incongruity. Puri International Airport — officially Shree Jagannath International Airport — exists to close that gap. But as of mid-2026, it exists only on paper, in approvals, and in 961 acres of acquired land at Sipasarubali and Sandhapur in Brahmagiri tehsil. No IATA code. No ICAO code. No scheduled flights. No construction commenced. The environmental clearances are finally through, the forest clearance arrived in February 2026, and the project is closer to ground-breaking than at any prior point — but it remains a proposed airport, not a functioning one.
Quick Overview: Puri International Airport
| Detail | Information |
| Official Name | Puri International Airport / Shree Jagannath International Airport |
| Location | Sipasarubali and Sandhapur, Brahmagiri tehsil, Puri district, Odisha |
| Serves | Puri (Jagannath Temple, Rath Yatra, coastal tourism) |
| Airport Type | Proposed — Greenfield International Airport |
| IATA Code | Not Assigned |
| ICAO Code | Not Assigned |
| Owner | Commerce and Transport Department, Government of Odisha |
| Operator (Planned) | AAI / PPP (Fairfax, Adani, GMR expressed interest April 2024) |
| Greenfield Classification | Yes (approved under 2008 GFA Policy) |
| Total Planned Area | 1,164 acres |
| Private Land (Sipasarubali + Sandhapur) | 221.48 acres (153.37 + 68.11 acres) |
| Forest Land | 68 acres |
| Land Acquired So Far | 961+ acres of 1,164 total (as of early 2025) |
| Estimated Project Cost | ₹5,631 crore |
| Phase 1 Capacity | 4.6 million passengers per year |
| Elevation | 7 m / 23 ft AMSL |
| Coordinates | 19°47′40″N, 85°45′04″E |
| Distance from Puri Town | ~29 km (Girala village area, Brahmagiri tehsil) |
| MoCA In-Principle Approval | May 2025 |
| EAC Environmental Clearance | Recommended 26 June 2025 (subject to conditions) |
| Forest Clearance (FAC) | Granted 27 February 2026 |
| CRZ Clearance | Applied January 2024; pending as of mid-2026 |
| NGT Notices | Issued September 2025 over environmental concerns |
| Construction Commenced | Not yet (as of mid-2026) |
| Scheduled Commercial Flights | None |
| Nearest Current Airport | Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar (~64 km north) |
Puri Airport Location: Brahmagiri Coast, 29 km From the Jagannath Temple
Puri International Airport will be located at Sipasarubali and Sandhapur villages in Brahmagiri tehsil, Puri district, at coordinates 19°47′40″N, 85°45′04″E, at an elevation of just 7 metres above sea level — almost at the Bay of Bengal’s coastal fringe. The site is approximately 29 kilometres from Puri town — further than the 64-kilometre distance from Bhubaneswar Airport might suggest the advantage to be, but on the coastal side of Puri rather than requiring the inland highway drive.
The coastal and near-forest setting of the proposed site is precisely what has complicated the project’s environmental pathway. The Puri coastline is one of India’s most ecologically sensitive shorelines — it is a mass nesting beach for Olive Ridley sea turtles, which nest in enormous numbers along the Gahirmatha coast nearby, and the coastal forest and mangroves play a cyclone-protection role for Puri’s densely inhabited shoreline. The Forest Advisory Committee’s initial deferral in July 2025 specifically cited Olive Ridley sea turtle impacts and the effect of felling 13,000 trees on the cyclone-vulnerable coastline before eventually granting forest clearance in February 2026. CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) clearance was still pending as of mid-2026.
Puri Airport Code: No IATA, No ICAO
Puri International Airport has no assigned IATA code and no assigned ICAO code. Both designations are issued after an airport receives its DGCA aerodrome licence following physical completion — a milestone that has not been reached. The airport does not appear in any airline booking system. When it eventually opens, it will receive both codes and begin appearing in commercial booking platforms under Puri or Jagannath as the city name.
Puri Airport Terminal: Clearances Secured, Construction Awaiting
The development timeline for Puri International Airport has moved through several procedural gates in recent years:
2021: CM Naveen Patnaik lobbied PM Modi to sanction an international airport for Puri, citing the Jagannath Temple’s global pilgrimage significance.
2023: The Environment Appraisal Committee recommended Terms of Reference for the Environmental Impact Assessment in November 2023.
2024: CRZ approval application filed January 2024. Fairfax Group, Adani Group, and GMR Group expressed interest in developing the greenfield airport in April 2024. Over 961 acres of the total 1,164-acre requirement acquired.
2025: MoCA gave in-principle approval in May 2025. EAC recommended Environmental Clearance on 26 June 2025, subject to Stage-I Forest Clearance and CRZ clearance. In July 2025, FAC deferred forest clearance citing Olive Ridley turtle and Irrawaddy dolphin impacts. NGT issued notices in September 2025 over alleged environmental violations. Private land acquisition of remaining 221.48 acres was ongoing.
2026: Forest Clearance granted by FAC on 27 February 2026 — the most critical environmental milestone secured. CRZ clearance still pending as of mid-2026. No construction commencement date confirmed.
When built, Phase 1 of the airport will handle 4.6 million passengers annually — comparable to the current scale of Bhubaneswar Airport’s earlier years. Future phases will expand capacity significantly to handle the long-term pilgrimage and tourism demand from the Jagannath Temple circuit, the Puri beach, and the Konark Sun Temple.
Puri Airport Connectivity: No Flights; Bhubaneswar Serves Puri Currently
By Air: No scheduled commercial passenger flights operate from Puri International Airport. For all air travel to and from Puri, the current practical option is Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar (BBI), approximately 64 kilometres north, with comprehensive domestic connectivity and direct international flights to Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi.
From Bhubaneswar to Puri: OSRTC air-conditioned Volvo buses connect Bhubaneswar to Puri (approximately 1.5 to 2 hours). Taxis cost approximately ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 for the 64-km journey. Odisha Tourism’s package transfers also serve the route for temple visitors.
By Road (from Puri): NH-316 connects Puri to Bhubaneswar (64 km), Konark (35 km), and Chilika Lake’s southern shore. The Jagannath Sadak and the new coastal highway have improved road access significantly.
By Rail: Puri Railway Station is the terminus of the Puri–Howrah and Puri–Delhi express lines — one of India’s most symbolically important railway stations for pilgrimage traffic, with direct trains from Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, and other major cities. Rail remains the primary pilgrimage access mode.
Puri Airport Amenities: Proposed, Not Built
No amenities exist at Puri International Airport’s proposed site. The location at Sipasarubali and Sandhapur is currently land in various stages of acquisition and forest area pending CRZ clearance. Once built, the airport’s Phase 1 design will include a modern integrated passenger terminal reflecting Odisha’s cultural heritage — similar to how other major Odisha airports have incorporated local artistic motifs — with international customs and immigration, domestic departure areas, commercial retail, food courts, and full ground transport infrastructure.
FAQs: Puri International Airport
Q1. Does Puri International Airport have an IATA or ICAO code?
No. Neither has been assigned as the airport has not been built. Both codes will be issued after construction completion and DGCA aerodrome licensing.
Q2. When will Puri International Airport open?
No confirmed operational date has been announced. Forest clearance was granted in February 2026. CRZ clearance was still pending. Construction had not commenced as of mid-2026. Operational readiness, originally projected for 2024, now realistically extends beyond 2026.
Q3. Why has the project faced delays?
Multiple environmental clearances — Environmental Impact Assessment, Forest Clearance, and CRZ approval — were required given the sensitive coastal site. FAC initially deferred clearance citing Olive Ridley sea turtle and Irrawaddy dolphin impacts. NGT issued notices in September 2025. Private land acquisition of 221.48 acres was also ongoing.
Q4. What is the airport’s planned capacity?
Phase 1 will handle 4.6 million passengers annually. Subsequent phases will expand capacity for long-term pilgrimage and tourism demand. Total project cost is estimated at ₹5,631 crore across 1,164 acres.
Q5. What is the nearest commercial airport to Puri currently?
Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar (BBI), approximately 64 km north, is the nearest commercial airport. OSRTC Volvo buses, taxis, and Odisha Tourism transfers connect BBI to Puri in 1.5 to 2 hours.
