The progress of the expansion of the Belgaum Airport at Sambra, 11 km from the city, has been hampered due to a delay in giving clearance for extension of the runway from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
Over a year ago, it was promised that all expansion work would be completed by February this year. Sources said the Centre had made a budgetary provision of Rs.141 crore for the expansion work at the airport, including Rs. 30 crore for extension of the runway by another 470 metres of the existing length of 1,830 metres and Rs. 36 crore for upgrading the terminal building. The extension of the runway would facilitate landing bigger aircrafts like the Boeing series.
The available infrastructure at the airport presently facilitates operations of ATR-72 aircrafts, both during day and night hours.
Sources said the Karnataka government had acquired and provided 370 acres of land free of cost towards expansion of the airport, which was to be developed under a joint venture project by the AAI and Indian Navy, where the latter has planned to have a Naval depot at the Belgaum airport.
As of now, the works on development of apron and isolation bay had commenced and works on terminal building was under progress. Tenders for electrification had been called for. Re-carpeting of the existing runway has been already completed.
Though the AAI is expected to accord clearance to take up works on extension of the runway, it might not be taken up at this stage due to the monsoon . It could take four to five months to complete extension works, sources added.
