Dakota plane, pride of our state Odisha is soon on its way back to home. The rescue of Sukarno, former vice President of Indonesia on the instruction of late PM Nehru in 1947, used in the Kashmir operation in 1947-48 for transporting troops to Srinagar along with medical facilities.
This sturdiest aircraft was a part of the fleet of 18 Dakota planes of Kalinga Airlines. And now it’s lying recklessly in a corner of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata.
After a Written request to the present CM Naveen Patnaik by researcher Anil Dhir the matter came under the light and was discussed by the Airport Authority of India (AAI). And finally the state government agreed to the proposal and started initiating the process for the inspection of aircraft and to bring it back to Odisha. PK Biswal, director of Civil Aviation stated that the aircraft will be placed inside the premises of AnandBhawan in Cuttack, which will be converted into Biju Patnaik Memorial Museum after its renovation. And also planned to contact the expertise of Indian Airlines for reviving the old plane.
It is the most iconic and prized ownership of our former chief minister and pilot Biju Patnaik. It has witnessed the bravery and heroics of him and has a great value among the Odisha’s native. And it’s a great news for the people of Odisha that the state government has begun the process to salvage the aircraft and hope that soon the aircraft will return to its ancestral place.
Also Read- How Biju Patnaik Saved Kashmir!
