BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ask the ministry of civil aviation to establish an international airport at Puri, which is located just 60km from Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar. Naveen requested to name the proposed airport as Sri Jagannath International Airport. In a letter to Modi, Naveen cited several reasons for establishing an international airport in Puri. Naveen said Puri has the potential to become a hub of spiritual, international tourism and economic activities. “Puri is one of the four holy dhams in the country. The world famous Rath Yatra of Jagannath temple at Puri attracts lakhs of pilgrims and visitors from across the globe every year. The holy Rath Yatra is celebrated across 192 countries. The proposed international airport will help bring devotees from across the world to Puri and promote Jagannath culture globally,” Naveen’s letter said.