Forget the ongoing national aviation crisis, the state budget 2012-13 provides an impetus to the development of regional airports in tier-II cities.
Forget the ongoing national aviation crisis, the state budget 2012-13 provides an impetus to the development of regional airports in tier-II cities.
Chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who presented the budget on Wednesday, announced that the Shimoga and Gulbarga airports are being built under a public-private partnership and would launch operations in the 2012-13 fiscal. This year would also see the expansion of the domestic airports in Hubli and Belgaum, he informed.
What it means? The prime focus given to the development of these airports in the state budget marks a change in view. The state wants to boost regional air travel, which about three years ago was seen as the harbinger of aviation activity within Karnataka.
In fact, the official websites of Karnataka's Infrastructure Development Department and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have a list of 32 airports in Karnataka, including the two international airports of Bangalore and Mangalore. A quick glance at the list shows that of the remaining 30 airports, only the Mysore, Hubli and Belgaum airports are in some stages of development. The rest are either privately-operated small airports or planned for future development. The Bellary airport has been shut down.
However, the prime focus is now on the development of the airport in Hubli. Considering its strategic location, the AAI, in 2006-07, agreed to expand the airport for big aircraft. AAI had sought about 650 acres of land for the upgradation.
Aviation experts, however, feel that the civil aviation infrastructure growth has not been on a par with the hike in air traffic in Karnataka. The state is witnessing a tremendous growth in passenger traffic - nearly 50%, against the all-India average of 25%-30%. This necessitated the development of the Hubli airport through a public-private-partnership. The state government also expects the support of the Airports Authority - an investment to the tune of Rs150 crore for the development of the Hubli and Belgaum airports.
CM Gowda, while presenting the budget, noted that the Bangalore International Airport (BIA) has already undertaken works to expand Terminal-1 at a cost of Rs1,479 crore and that the expansion works would be completed by this year-end. The expansion of the terminal would allow the airport to handle a passenger traffic of 17.5 million (1.75 crore) per annum against the present 11 million (1.1 crore).
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}