Dream to preserve Biju's fond Dakota aircraft fades away

Bhubaneswar, Jan 28: The dream to bring it back to its home is fading gradually. It’s waiting its end overseas lying in a hanger at Kolkata.  Government of Odisha is trying to preserve the memory of Late Biju Patnaik. But, Biju's fond Dakota aircraft is lying in Kolkata airport in a hanger. Biju Patnaik had 14 aircrafts under the banner of Kalinga Airways. But Dakota was his most favourite aircraft. Biju was flying it himself. Dakota, generally abbreviated as DC3, proved its efficacy post-second world war. In 1947,Biju Patnaik, an ace pilot, rescued the then Indonesian President Sukarno and Vice President Mohammad Hatta by flying them in this aircraft. However, Dakota-3 was missing for years. Surprisingly, it was found in Kolkata’s Subhas Chandra Bose International airport in 2012. People of Odisha demanded to bring back Dakota-3 to its home in Odisha and the government of Odisha started work on this. In 2018, Biju Patnaik’s ancestral house Anand Bhawan in Cuttack was chosen to conserve Dakota. But it was later cancelled for its lack of proper space. Ultimately, Biju Patnaik International airport was finalised for it. Odisha government wrote to the Union Civil Aviation department, and Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport Authority on the matter. Initially Rs 10 crore was sanctioned for the mission. A high power committee was formed in 2018 headed by the then Chief Secretary to expedite the matter.The committee asked General Administration department to provide necessary land. As of now no significant development in this regard has been made. Rather the funds allocated for it was withdrawn after remaining unutilsed for long. General Administration is yet to alienate land for it. Over and above, the empowered Techno-Commercial Purchase Committee on Dakota is sitting quiet. At the same time, Dakota counts down its approaching death.