Shivamogga Airport in Karnataka, India, has been inaugurated in a ceremony graced by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
Back in April 2008, the project’s agreement was signed. For the signing of the Project Development Agreement (PDA), a Special Purpose Company, the Shivamogga Airport Developers Pvt Ltd was established. The PDA was signed by the Infrastructure Development Department (IDD) of the Government of Karnataka.
Initially, its completion was due by 2022, however, it got pushed to 2023. The brand-new development is Karnataka’s newest airport. Featuring a lotus-shaped passenger terminal that boasts a 300-passenger-per-hour capacity the airport cost a total of Rs 450 crore. The airport is designed to operate Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-type aircraft.
Expectations for the Shivamogga Airport in Karnataka
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), ahead of its opening, has accorded permission for the operation of commercial flights alongside private aircraft. Thereafter, on February 22, an aircraft from the Indian Air Force landed at the airport, on a trial basis.
The construction of Shivamogga Airport in Karnataka was part of a UDAN scheme that strives to make air travel affordable to all. The airport also aims to boost tourism, especially in the Malnad districts of Hassan, Chikkamagaluru as well as Shivamogga.
While presenting the Union Budget for 2023-24, Nirmala Sitharaman, the finance minister mentioned that efforts were being invested toward the improvement of regional air connectivity. As a result, in the Budget 2023, the government will develop 50 additional airports, water aerodromes, and heliports.
Moreover, the budget also includes the development of advanced landing grounds. Over the past few years, India has generally been carrying out various initiatives such as UDAN for the advancement and boost of regional air connectivity.
