The government has decided to develop airstrips in Vijayapura, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu districts to improve regional connectivity.
Disclosing this while replying to BJP member Govind Karjol in the Assembly on Wednesday, Minister for Large and Medium-Scale Industries and Infrastructure Development R.V. Deshpande said an airstrip had been planned in Vijayapura even though work on a full-fledged airport is going on there. He also announced that Kalaburagi airport would become operational in about a year.
Responding to the concerns of elected representatives from the northern region, Mr. Deshpande said that the uneven land acquired at Vijayapura for the airport was the main reason for the delay. After the developer left the project unable to cope with the land, the State had requested the Airports Authority of India to execute the project and offered Rs. 50 crore for levelling the land. However, despite repeated requests, the Centre had not responded, he said.
The State had again requested the Centre to develop the airport under a new scheme for development of small airports. He said the norm of not allowing another airport within the radius of 150 km from Hyderabad airport had come in the way of executing the Bidar project.
