Biju Patnaik International Airport is a domestic airport and international airport serving Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha. It is situated around south-west from Bhubaneswar Railway Station and from the city center. Named after the former chief minister of Odisha, Biju Patnaik, a famed aviator and freedom fighter, it is the 16th busiest airport in India and 11th busiest among the airports maintained by Airports Authority of India, registering an 11.7% fall in traffic over the previous year. History The airport was dedicated to the people of Odisha on 17 April 1962, becoming the first ever commercial airport in the state. The airport boasts two active scheduled passenger terminals i.e. Terminals 1 and 2 for domestic and international passengers respectively. Former Minister of Civil Aviation, Ajit Singh, inaugurated Terminal 1 on 5 March 2013, which caters to domestic passengers, whereas Terminal 2 was then refurbished to handle international operations. The Government of India accorded international status to the airport on 30 October 2013. However, it continues to be a domestic airport as it is not yet connected with international destinations. Terminals Biju Patnaik Airport serves as one of the major civil aviation hubs in Eastern India. The airport boasts two actively scheduled passenger terminals, i.e. Terminals 1 and 2. Terminal 1 Inaugurated in March 2013, the terminal has a capacity of 4 million passengers per annum and was built at a cost of 1.45 billion by Lanco Infratech. The new terminal has been developed by the AAI as part of the upgrade of 35 non-metro airports across the country. Terminal 1, a two-storied building with a total area of , consists of 4 aerobridges, 4 elevators, several escalators, 18 check-in counters, 3 arrival luggage conveyors, a spa, and multiple seating areas. Apart from the Departure and Arrival Lounges, Terminal 1 also has several other lounges, including VIP Lounges, Pal Heights Spa Lounge, Dakota Lounge and Mayfair Lounge. The terminal is environment-friendly, built according to green building standards, with sewage treatment plants and provision for rain water harvesting. The internal walls of the terminal are decorated with tribal motifs, designs, masks, and sculptures derived from Odisha's culture. The new terminal also has food kiosks, gift shops, bookstores, art galleries and handloom/handicraft kiosks. Terminal 2 Terminal 2 handles used to handle international operations in the past, but now handles oy domestic operations to and from the airport. It was built in the