Bhubaneswar, Jan 7 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct Air India (AI) authorities to begin flight operations between the state's Jharsuguda city and Delhi.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Patnaik requested for having Veer Surendra Sai Airport at Jharsuguda as a stopover for one of the national carrier's flights from Bhubaneswar to Delhi.

"Jharsuguda is located strategically in the industrial and mining belt of Odisha, and is a critical point of connectivity to western Odisha. During the inauguration of Jharsuguda Airport on September 22, I had offered full support of state government for running of commercial flights and had requested for commencing Air India flight operations from Jharsuguda to Delhi," he said in the letter.

Air Odisha had started flying operations under RCS-UDAN.

Unfortunately, it suspended its operations on November 6, 2018, without any valid reason, said the Chief Minister.