Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa inaugurated the newly constructed Kalaburagi airport on Friday, which will now connect Bengaluru with the Hyderabad-Karnataka region. The 3.25 km runway at Kalaburagi Airport is the second-longest in Karnataka after Bengaluru Airport.
The inauguration marked the commencement of operations at Kalaburagi airport, providing air connectivity to the northeast Karnataka region, including Bengaluru and the rest of India, under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik)-Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).
Arriving on the first flight from Bengaluru by Star airlines, Yediyurappa expressed the significance of the event for the people of Kalaburagi. The airport, constructed under public-private partnership at a cost of Rs 175.5 crore, is expected to spur industrial growth in the region.
The Kalaburagi airport project, initially approved in March 2007, faced delays and changes in management. The State Public Works Department, with technical guidance from RITES India Pvt Ltd, took over the project after the termination of the initial contract in 2014.
Despite efforts to have Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurate the airport, Yediyurappa led the inauguration. The flight schedule between Bengaluru and Kalaburagi by Star Air includes three days a week – Monday, Friday, and Sunday. The airport’s operations aim to enhance connectivity and promote economic development in the region.
