Flight services start at Shivamogga airport 6 months after inauguration

BENGALURU, SHIVAMOGGA: Commercial flight operations at the newly built Shivamogga airport began today with the first IndiGo flight taking off from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru at 9.50 am.

Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil, MP B Y Raghavendra and senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on the first flight.

Among the first passengers were Industries Minister M B Patil, senior BJP leaders B S Yediyurappa, K S Eshwarappa, MP B Y Raghavendra, MLAs B Y Vijayendra, Belur Gopalakrishna and former MLA Araga Jnanendra. Primary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa was present at Shivamogga airport when the flight landed.

MLA B Y Vijayendra and former minister Araga Jnanendra on the inaugural flight to Shivamogga from Bengaluru.

Speaking at the Bengaluru airport, Minister M B Patil said, “This is a historical moment and, in the coming days, the Shivamogga airport will connect to Goa, Tirupati and other places”.

Former CM Yediyurappa said the credit should go to farmers from the region who parted with their land for the airport project.

“Work on the airport was carried without any obstacles. After Bengaluru, Shivamogga has the biggest airport in the state and I would like to thank the farmers for cooperating with the execution of the project. Today, we are taking along some of those farmers on the first flight”, he added

Commercial flight operations at Shivamogga airport started today.

Araga Jnanendra hailed the development and said the new airport at Shivamogga will spur industrial growth and added that it will improve connectivity to central Karnataka.

Upon landing in Shivamogga, the aircraft was given a water cannon salute. Two farmers who had given up their land were also felicitated symbolically on behalf of all the land losers.

The airport at Sogane near Shivamogga was built at a cost of R 450 crore and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 27 this year.