BENGALURU: Airports at Hubballi and Belagavi need to be upgraded to international standards, said Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil. He instructed the department officials to write to the Union Government in this regard.
“Both (Hubballi and Belagavi) are eligible to become international airports. There is enough passenger traffic,” Patil said adding that as of now, people from these regions who head abroad have to go to the nearby Goa airport. “Instead, these airports should be declared as international airports,” the minister said.
Patil was speaking after holding a meeting accompanied by IT /BT Minister Priyank Kharge with the representatives of various airlines in Bengaluru on Tuesday, urging them to strengthen the air services to six Tier 2 cities in Karnataka, including Kalaburagi. Minister M B Patil said that the flight services from Bengaluru to Bidar, which was suspended due to various reasons, will be resumed from April 15.
AAI team inspects two proposed locations
A high-level team of officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) who have been in Bengaluru since April 7, visited two sites along Kanakapura Road that the government has identified to construct Bengaluru’s second airport. The government has proposed three locations.
After the field inspection, the team met Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil and exchanged views. Minister Patil explained the needs of the proposed airport, the civil and industrial needs of Bengaluru, and advised the team to carry out the site identification work in a transparent manner.
“The State Government intends to build the second airport, keeping in mind the needs of Bengaluru. A final decision will be taken after knowing the opinion of the AAI after their field visits,” Patil said.
On Wednesday, the team will inspect the third proposed site on Nelamangala-Kunigal Road.