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Puri, the land of the lord, has been a tourist pull for decades, across India, as being one of the holy sites with rich history and culture. Puri has seen a large rise in the number of tourists that visit which has changed a lot of the ecosystems that are surrounding the coastal town.
The increase in the number of urban development projects, housing, tourism-related spots, and transport projects has seen the impact in the reduction of green cover in the surrounding regions and also has seen an increasing challenge in the consideration of viable solutions that mitigate issues like traffic congestion, connectivity, and urban heating and cooling.
Recent developments have led to the new Puri Airport development project. But is this really a necessity or are we going to a place of irreversible and severe environmental impacts?
Impacts of Airports on Natural Ecosystems
The anticipated growth in air travel has heightened the significance and complexity of some environmental regulatory issues. Airports have a significant impact on natural ecosystems, both directly and indirectly. Direct impacts include habitat destruction, noise pollution, and water pollution. Indirect impacts include air pollution, climate change, and the introduction of invasive species.
Habitat destruction is a major concern for airports. The construction of an airport requires the clearing of large areas of land, which can destroy important habitats for plants and animals. Noise pollution can also have a significant impact on wildlife. Airports are often located in areas with high biodiversity, and noise pollution can disrupt the breeding and feeding of animals. Water pollution is another major concern for airports. Runoff from the airport can contain pollutants such as oil, grease, and chemicals, which can contaminate nearby water bodies.
Airports also have a significant impact on the environment through air pollution. Aircraft emissions contribute to climate change, and they also release pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and particulate matter. These pollutants can cause respiratory problems in humans, and they can also damage crops and ecosystems.
The introduction of invasive species is another concern for airports. Airports are often connected to the outside world by roads and railways, which can make it easy for invasive species to enter the airport and spread to the surrounding area. Invasive species can out-compete native plants and animals, and they can also damage infrastructure and ecosystems.
The anticipated growth in air travel is likely to exacerbate these environmental impacts. As more people fly, airports will need to expand, which will lead to further habitat destruction and noise pollution. Air traffic is also expected to increase, which will lead to more air pollution and climate change.
There are a number of things that can be done to reduce the environmental impact of airports. Airports can use sustainable building materials, they can install noise barriers, and they can develop plans to reduce air pollution. They can also work to prevent the introduction of invasive species.
It is important to address the environmental impacts of airports in order to protect our natural ecosystems. The anticipated growth in air travel will make this even more important in the future.
How does this affect the conversation about Puri?
Simply, Puri is still a very green and untouched space. In the conversations about the climate impacts of such a large-scale infrastructure project, the concerns that are immediate, are the changing forest coverage around the city, the effects on the city from the rising sea level, and how a change in the ecosystem can bring in a gigantic overbearing effect on the space that we have within this region in climate preservation, and an ecosystem-based balance.
We therefore have to have a considered and structured approach to all urban developments and changes in the ecosystem to also ensure that no flora or fauna of the region is affected adversely by the actions that are taken by any actors within this space. We discuss some alternative options and the relevant details hereon.
Greenfield Airport a Better Bet?
With air travel continuing to expand globally, many cities and countries face the challenge of building new airport infrastructure to meet growing demand. An important decision in new airport construction is whether to build on undeveloped “greenfield” sites or existing “brownfield” airport locations. While brownfield airport expansion may appear easier and cheaper, greenfield airports offer significant advantages that often make them the better long-term choice despite higher upfront costs.
Constructing new greenfield airports provides the opportunity to fully optimize efficiency, capacity, and flexibility for future growth. Without being constrained by existing airport layouts and facilities, greenfield projects can incorporate the latest innovations in airport design.
Runways can be positioned to maximize aircraft movement capacity and minimize noise pollution impacts. Terminals can be designed for smoother passenger flows. Sustainability features like solar power, natural lighting, and rainwater harvesting can be integrated from the start. With air travel projected to keep increasing globally, building new greenfield airports with ample room for expansion is critical.
In addition to efficiency, greenfield airports can be better positioned geographically to serve travelers and airlines. While major cities like London and New York are stuck expanding outdated legacy airports, greenfield projects allow emerging air travel markets to strategically site new air hubs. For example, Beijing's new Daxing Airport was built on open land to stimulate the development of the city's southern region. Istanbul's new airport is similarly transforming the city's northern area. Ideally situated greenfield airports promote balanced economic growth.
Despite higher initial costs, greenfield airports' long-term advantages often outweigh the short-term savings of brownfield expansions. Of course, local environmental impacts, construction timeframes, and community concerns must also be weighed when undertaking major greenfield projects. But as global air travel continues increasing, building the right airport infrastructure from the ground up will be essential in many markets. With careful planning and innovative design, new greenfield airports can provide the efficiency, flexibility, and geographic reach to serve growing aviation demand well into the future.
Does Puri Need An Airport?
The seaside city of Puri in eastern India attracts millions of Hindu pilgrims annually to visit the famed Jagannath Temple and experience the vibrant culture surrounding one of Hinduism's major pilgrimage centers. Located just an hour from the capital of Odisha, Bhubaneswar, Puri does not currently have its own airport. With rising tourist interest in Puri, there are calls to build a new airport nearby. However, more sustainable transportation options exist that can meet access needs while minimizing environmental impacts.
Given Puri's proximity to Bhubaneswar, an intercity rail or bus system could deliver convenient connectivity at lower economic and environmental cost than a new airport. High-speed rail, in particular, would slash travel times to well under an hour while emitting far less carbon per passenger-kilometer than air travel. India's expanding high-speed rail network aims to connect major cities with speeds up to 250 kilometers per hour. Linking Bhubaneswar and Puri via high-speed rail would benefit millions of annual pilgrims.
Upgrading regular intercity and commuter rail service is another option. While slower than high-speed rail, improving rail infrastructure for increased frequency and reliability would still beat air travel times once airport transfers are factored in. Intercity buses currently provide the most affordable and accessible transportation between Bhubaneswar and Puri. Investing in clean electric buses could make this option even more sustainable.
Beyond improving public transit, emerging concepts like hyperloop technology could one day whisk passengers between cities at aviation speeds on the ground. Though still in development, hyperloop systems run in sealed tubes to eliminate air resistance, letting pods potentially travel over 1000 kilometers per hour. A 45-minute Bhubaneswar to Puri hyperloop commute could become feasible, emitting just a fraction of air travel’s carbon at comparable speed.
For tourists spending multiple days in Puri, bicycles and electric vehicles also provide green mobility options within the city. Puri's flat terrain and generally short intracity distances make cycling easy and enjoyable. Small electric buses and autorickshaws would further limit local emissions while getting around congested areas.
As India continues urbanizing rapidly, sustainable transportation planning will be vital for balancing development and environmental aims. For a historic temple city like Puri focused on spiritual tourism, high-carbon air travel seems unnecessary given alternative options. Improving rail, bus, cycling, and future mobility networks can meet access needs with a lighter touch on the planet. With smart infrastructure investments and greener technologies, efficient intercity connections to Puri are achievable without a new airport’s heavy impacts.
What Next?
It is important for us to now explore the most viable, and least environmentally intrusive option for the development of transport systems. As such it would be a recommended venture for the revisitation of the necessity of the Puri Airport project which is slated to be opened within the next few years.
Alternatively, in case of development of the airport does go through, minimizing the environmental impact should also be an important consideration with the development team and the development of the systems in and around the airport.