HUBBALLI: Air connectivity demand grows for Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderabad, Mangaluru sectors from Hubballi, but the air service providers are not coming forward to operate crafts from here as there are no subsidies under Udan like scheme.
Under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, many routes were introduced from Hubballi including Ahmedabad, Kochi, Kannur, Tirupati, Pune, Hyderabad, Mangaluru and more. In that Pune, Mangaluru had not started due to some technical issues.
According to sources, Star Air was planning to operate between Hubballi and Pune, they had not got a slot in Pune. They have been waiting for two years but no time slot has been given at Pune Airport, therefore they had taken back their decision. Even today Star Air is ready to operate if they get a good time slot.
Soon after the date of the Mangaluru-Hubballi flight was announced, air travel was restricted due to lockdown following the Covid-19 pandemic. After the lockdown, air service to most of the routes was resumed except Ahmedabad, Pune, Mangaluru.
An officer said that under the UDAN scheme, the air service provider will get Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and subsidies. When the UDAN scheme was awarded to Hubballi, pandemic happened and many routes were stopped. Now there is good demand for Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Mangaluru, more flights to Mumbai, and service provider should review their routes here.
Due to the lack of flights to various places, people of Hubballi-Dharwad and neighbouring districts are visiting Belagavi airport to board/land. People have been demanding to resume Ahmedabad, which is one of the popular routes from Hubballi, but the Indigo is yet to resume service.
The air passengers are taking to social media to raise demand to resume flight service to earlier destinations from the city. Some of them have been approaching union minister Pralhad Joshi to initiate talks with concerns to resume service from Hubballi. It is said many routes will be resumed from the next financial year.