Shivamogga airport all set to start ops from August 31; IndiGo flight will be first to land
The airport will serve as a vital connecting hub for the Malnad and Central Karnataka districts.
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Patil stated that the Shivamogga Airport will become the first airport run by the state government. (Facebook/ Shivamogga Airport) The Shivamogga airport is all set to start its operations from August 31, with IndiGo airlines being the first flight to land at 11:05 am.
The inaugural flight is expected to have infrastructure development minister MB Patil and school education minister Madhu Bangarappa, former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra, and other public representatives from the Malnad region. The airport will serve as a vital connecting hub for the Malnad and Central Karnataka districts.
The government has been mulling about taking responsibility for operation and maintenance of new airports under the ambit of the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC), large and medium industries minister MB Patil said on Tuesday. KSIIDC is a body functioning under the department of large and medium industries. The government also intends to operate and maintain the Vijayapura and Hasana airports which are under construction.
Patil stated that the Shivamogga Airport will become the first airport run by the state government. “It is expected to contribute significantly to the economic, industrial, tourism, and educational development of the region,” he added
The IndiGo flight is scheduled to depart from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport at 9:50 am and arrive at the Shivamogga at 11:05 am. Once the flight lands, there will be a celebratory water-cannon salute.
Patil mentioned that the initial response to the flight service has been positive, with tickets booked in advance for the next three weeks. The flights will also benefit people from the surrounding districts of Chikkamagaluru, Davangere, Chitradurga, and Haveri. The subsequent focus will be on connecting the airport with destinations like Delhi, Hyderabad, Tirupati, Chennai, and Goa by offering direct flights. Patil also informed that the tender has already been floated under the UDAN scheme to expand services from Shivamogga.
The airport, named after famous Kannada poet and Jnanpith awardee Kuvempu, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 27, during the run-up to the state elections. The BJP initially had plans to name the airport after Yediyurappa but the latter declined and proposed to name it after Kuvempu.
Located at Sogane, 8.8 km from Shivamogga, the airport is developed at a cost of around Rs 450 crore. The passenger-terminal building is expected to handle 300 passengers per hour. Spread across 758 acres, the Shivamogga airport is designed like a lotus flower and it is suitable for A-320-type aircraft. The airport is also designed to manage night landing facilities.
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