Vijayapura: As the works of the airport are underway at Burnapur Village of the Taluk, the demand has now been raised to make the airport equipped to operate the flights at night also as the present airport plan does not have this provision. Due to this, the flights can operate only during daytime. Considering this, the members of Vijayapura Airport Horata Samiti (VAHS) plans to submit a memorandum to the State Government seeking additional funds of Rs. 100 Crore for the ongoing airport work in order to facilitate the operation of flights during night hours.
Raju Gachinamath, Co-convenor of VAHS, said that presently the airport is being developed only for the operation of flight during day-time. “We have demanded the State Government to develop the airport to operate the flights at night hours too. We made the same request to Major and Medium Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol who is personally monitoring the works of the airport.
However, the Minister had said that the government has orally approved the granting of funds for additional works but official clearance from the Cabinet is yet to come.”
Raju complained that even after a year, no major development has been witnessed with regard to the sanctioning of additional works for the ongoing airport project. He said that the members will submit another memorandum to the Housing Minister V. Somanna, who is scheduled to visit the city to inspect the airport works on December 25.
“During his visit, the members will urge him to allocate additional funds for the said project,” he said. It is essential to operate flights 24×7 because it is a tourist hot-spot area. It will boost the local economy. The government has to develop this airport similar to Shivamogga airport,” Gachinamath said.
The State Government is developing the airport in about 727 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs. 220 Crore in Burnapur Village. The airport is expected to be completed by December 2022. However, the members of VAHS allege that the works is going on at snail’s pace.
Even after over one-year of the launch of the project the authorities concerned are yet to complete the first phase of the works which includes development of the runway, taxiway and internal and approach road works at an estimated cost of Rs. 95 Crore. The terminal building and other infrastructure works have been planned to carry out in the second phase at an estimated cost of Rs. 125 Crore.
Congress MLC Sunilgouda Patil said that he would urge the government to develop our airport similar to Shivamogga airport, where the works are already underway to facilitate the operation of flights during night hours. “I had previously raised my voice in the session appealing to the government not to mete out step-motherly treatment between the two districts for the same project. I will once again make an effort to convince the government to sanction additional funds. The District is popular for tourism and horticulture crops. With developing the full-fledged airport it will boost the local economy,” he said.
In the winter session, Minister V. Somanna said that the government is committed to finish the airport works in the given deadline of December 2022. “I will visit the site and chair a meeting with the stockholders and review the construction works in the last week of this month”, he added.
