Bengaluru: The first flight is scheduled to land at the newly constructed Shivamogga Airport on August 31, as planned. Among the passengers on this inaugural flight will be Ministers M. B. Patil and Madhu Bangarappa, Former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa, MP B. Y. Raghavendra, and other public representatives from the Malnad region.
Infrastructure Development Minister M. B. Patil, in a press release on August 29, stated that the Shivamogga Airport will become the first airport run by the state Government. “It is expected to contribute significantly to the economic, industrial, tourism, and educational development of the region,” he has opined
Patil also noted that the Shivamogga Airport will serve as a vital connecting hub for the Malnad and Central Karnataka districts.
The Indigo flight is scheduled to depart from Bengaluru’s Kempe Gowda International Airport at 9.50 am and arrive at the Shivamogga Airport at 11.05 am. Once the flight lands, there will be a celebratory Water Canon Salute, as informed by Minister Patil.
He mentioned that the initial response to the flight service has been positive, with tickets booked in advance for the next three weeks.
The service will also benefit people from the surrounding districts of Chikkamagaluru, Davanagere, Chitradurga, and Haveri. The subsequent focus will be on connecting destinations like Delhi, Hyderabad, Tirupati, Chennai, and Goa by offering direct flight services, explained the Minister.
He further informed that the tender has already been floated under the UDAN scheme to expand flight services from Shivamogga.