Smaller Airports Spreading Its Wings

In the recent past, small airports, some new, some upgraded are coming up fast, thus connecting the vast hinterland of India with regional aircraft

- R. Chandrakanth

ON OCTOBER 1, 2017, the honourable President of India Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the newly-built airport at Shirdi in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district. This was followed by a commercial flight to Mumbai, operated by Alliance Air. The airport, located in the temple town of Shirdi, has come as a major boon to the pilgrims who belong to all faiths. Air connectivity was a must and it has happened. The aerodrome is owned and developed by Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop airports in the state. Constructed at an investment of around ₹350 crore, including ₹50 crore from the Saibaba Sansthan Trust, the airport, with a 2,500 metre long runway, is capable of handling single-aisle, narrow-body aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737.

BELAGAVI AIRPORT OPERATIONAL. Earlier on September 14 this year, the upgraded Belagavi Airport under the Airports Authority of India (AAI), was inaugurated by the Karnataka Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah in the presence of the Minister of Civil Aviation, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju. The ceremony took place in the presence of Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananth Kumar; the Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, R.V. Deshpande; Karnataka, Minister of Energy, D.K. Shivakumar; Karnataka Minister for Co-operation and Belagavi District Incharge Ramesh L Jarakiholi and other dignitaries.