BENGALURU: Business and tourism in the picturesque Uttara Kannada is set to have a major boost as the State Cabinet on Thursday gave the green signal to go ahead with an airport in Karwar district.
The original proposal by the Navy to have an airport for its fighter aircraft has been expanded so that civil aircraft can be operated from here. The site for the proposed airport is on 97.1 acres of land in Ankola Taluk between Alageri and Bhaviker villages.
“The Navy has agreed for the development of a civil enclave wit the operation of 70-seater ATR-72 flights only. In future, the runway will be expanded to 3,000 metres to handle wide-bodied aircraft like B737 and A320,” Kapil Mohan, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development Department told The New Indian Express,
The site is adjacent to NH-66 and Konkan Railway Line and this will help in creating a transport infrastructure hub at this site, Mohan pointed out. The site is also near the Belkeri Port, which will be developed as a major port in future.
District-in-charge Minister Shivram Hebbar told TNIE, “The airport will be a huge impetus to the economic growth of Uttara Kannada. Employment and business in the entire region will get a major impetus. Air connectivity from Karwar to different parts of the country will happen.” Speaking of much-improved air connectivity scenario in North Karnataka, Mohan said that both Kalaburgi and Bidar had airports presently while they are coming up soon in Vijayapura, Shivamogga and Karwar now.
“We are expecting good patronage for the new airport. Even during this COVID period, two pairs of flights operate from Bengaluru to Kalaburgi daily while one pair operates to Bidar,” he pointed out. When the airport gets operational, Karwar will serve as a counter magnet to Goa, Mohan said. Tourists would be able to visit popular tourist attractions like Dandeli, Attiveri Bird Sanctuary, Gokarna, Murudeshwar, Om Beach, Yana and Kudle Beach easily.
Disaster management and medical emergencies too can be handled much better with air connectivity in place, the Principal Secretary said. The work will start by mid-2021 and the airport is expected to be in place by 2024. The cost will be borne by a joint venture company to be set up between the Government of Karnataka and the Airports Authority of India or the airport will be developed on a PPP basis.