‘Flights stop along with UDAN scheme’: Karnataka Industries Minister Patil flags viability concerns of new airports

Raising concerns over flights being discontinued at district airports, Karnataka Industries Minister M B Patil said Friday that the state has proposed an alternative for the Ministry of Civil Aviation to ensure air services to such airports.

Speaking at the Legislative Assembly, Patil said that the viability of new airports was a concern.

“Aircraft operations take place for the first three years under UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme as airlines get concessions.

After three years, the airports face a problem, which is true not only for Karnataka but also for states across the country,” he said.

He cited the examples of Kalaburagi airport in North Karnataka and Shivamogga airport in the Malnad region, where there were viability concerns regarding operating the airports.

Patil said that though he was not against the construction of Ballari airport, the government was looking at a site which would benefit passengers from Ballari, Vijayanagar, and Koppal districts.

This, he said, was to ensure that the airports remain in operation after the first three years.

The minister also informed that the Karnataka government has petitioned the Ministry of Civil Aviation to increase the UDAN scheme benefit from three years to five years.

“And for the next five years, Karnataka has offered to provide a 50 per cent share for benefits to airline companies to run flights.

If an airport runs for 10 years, it may become viable.

Since this is a nationwide problem, the Ministry is considering our proposal,” he added.

Patil’s comments came in response to a question by BJP legislator G Janardhan Reddy, who urged the government to construct an airport at Ballari, while noting that the project remained in abeyance for one and a half decades.

Patil announced that the state government would soon come up with a civil aviation policy.

“Two other states in the country – MP and UP – have done it,” he said, adding that the policy will have a framework for constructing new airports and details on incentives to attract airline companies to operate flights from them.

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