Karnataka to develop five minor airports

Kalaburagi, Shivamogga, Ballari, Hassan and Vijayapura will be the places

The Karnataka government has committed to develop minor airports in Kalaburagi, Shivamogga, Ballari, Hassan and Vijayapura. The government spent Rs 1.48 crore in 2012-13, Rs 3.68 crore in 2012-13 and Rs 8.10 crore in 2013-14 for the development of minor airports in these cities, said R Roshan Baig, minister for infrastructure development and information.

Replying to an unstarred question from Bidar legislator Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli in the state legislative assembly, here today, Baig said it the proposal for development of a minor airport at Vijayapura has been withdrawn as the developers have given a report stating that it was unfeasible to develop an airport there due to technical reasons.

The government has also encashed bank guarantees as the project developers have suspended airport construction work in Kalaburagi and Shivamogga. Despite many interventions by the state government the developer had failed to restart the work and the agreement between them and the government has been cancelled, he said.

As regards to developing an airport in Hassan, the government has received a detailed project report and it is under the consideration, he said.

The government would soon hand over land for development of airport at Ballari, Baig added.