Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil on Friday said the state government is working on a comprehensive civil aviation policy, which will cover multiple aspects of the aviation sector.
He also stated that a meeting of public representatives from Ballari, Vijayanagara and Koppal districts will soon be held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to discuss the proposed airport in the region. Patil emphasised that both feasibility and long-term viability must be carefully evaluated while deciding the location of airports.
The minister was responding to a question about the Ballari airport project raised by G Janardhana Reddy in the Legislative Assembly. “We construct airports, but after three years they get shut down. This situation is not limited to our state; it is happening across the country. We are uncertain about the future of district airports,” Patil said.
He added that he had met the Union Civil Aviation Minister along with the chief minister to request that the UDAN Scheme be extended from three years to five years. He also suggested that for the following five years, operational support should be shared equally between the Centre and the state in a 50:50 ratio.
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Patil said the issue was being considered at the national level as well. “We are also preparing a civil aviation policy through the Infrastructure Development Department (IDD). Only two states — Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh — have introduced similar policies so far. Our policy will address matters such as the state’s financial share and the bulk incentives sought by international airlines, among other issues,” he said, adding that work on the policy is currently underway.
Pointing out that the proposed Ballari airport should benefit not only Ballari but also residents of Koppal and Vijayanagara districts, the minister said a meeting involving representatives from the three districts would soon be convened under the chief minister’s leadership to discuss the advantages and challenges of the project.
He noted that building an airport serves little purpose if it becomes inactive soon after completion. “Keeping this in mind, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board has identified two new sites in Ballari district measuring around 800 acres and 1,200 acres for the proposed airport,” Patil said.
If the airport were constructed at the previously identified location in Ballari, it would require the development of an eight-lane greenfield highway along with other major infrastructure, the minister explained.
“Land acquisition and compensation alone would cost nearly as much as the airport project itself. Therefore, that option is not practically feasible. The final decision will be taken at the meeting to be held under the chief minister’s chairmanship,” he added.
Stressing that airport planning must be done with long-term foresight, Patil warned that otherwise the same issues seen in Hubballi, Belagavi and Vijayapura could be repeated. He pointed out that the distance between Belagavi and Hubballi airports is only about 70 kilometres.
“If an airport had been constructed at a location between the two districts to serve both regions, it might have qualified as an international airport based on passenger traffic,” he said.
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