Bhubaneswar: The iconic aircraft of Biju Patnaik–Dakota is all set to come its home after the Odisha Government initiated the process to bring it back.
The state has sought the approval of the Airport Authorities of India (AAI) regarding it and the tender process for bringing Dakota to Odisha will be floated within a week.
The Director for Civil Aviation is going to float tender in this connection soon.
The aircraft is lying in a dilapidated condition at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (NSCB) International Airport in Kolkata.
The aircraft bears importance for the people of the Odisha as it was a part of the fleet of 18 Dakota planes of Kalinga Airlines which was formed by Kalinga Sandha Leged Biju Patnaik. All the planes of Kalinga Airlines had been used in ferrying troops to Srinagar and carrying army equipment during the Kashmir Operation in 1947-48.