BELAGAVI: Finally after a long wait, Belagavi airport, which had been lying under-utilised for the last few decades, has been brought under the UDAN-3 scheme by the Centre. Now, several flight services, which had shifted their operations from here to Hubballi after the latter airport was brought under the scheme a few months ago, are expected to operate flights from Belagavi again.
Amidst speculations that the Centre may not include Belagavi under UDAN, Member of Parliament Suresh Angadi on Saturday announced the ‘happy news’ that Belagavi will now be connected to many important domestic airports in the country. “The efforts made by the leaders from Belagavi has paid off,” he added.
According to sources, several airline companies are keen to set up slots and offices in Belagavi airport and Star Air had already set up its office recently. Star Air may announce its routes once the process of bidding for routes under UDAN-3 is over, sources added. After the shifting of flights to Hubballi airport, the Centre and Airport Authority of India (AAI) were under pressure to make the 76-year old airport fully functional.
The Bharatiya Janata Party legal and legislative cell had even sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to bring the airport under UDAN and connect the city by air to important cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and New Delhi.
Local leaders had communicated to the Centre that shifting of flights from Belagavi airport will adversely affect the growth of the city, which is being developed as the second capital of the state.