Belagavi
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has requested 56 acres of land from the state government to expand Belagavi Airport, located in Sambra village, 15 km from the city. The request has been pending for the last two years. Former MP Mangala Angadi initiated discussions in 2022 to acquire the land needed for the expansion.
Despite the ongoing demands, the process was delayed for various reasons. Recently, the district administration has taken steps to start the land acquisition process. Current MP Jagadish Shettar held two meetings with district administration officials and AAI officials to expedite the proposal. He has urged officials to treat the proposal as a priority due to the growing operations at the airport.
Four days ago, Assistant Commissioner Shravan Naik visited the airport to inspect the area where the AAI has requested the land. The proposed land lies behind the existing airport and is currently owned by farmers. AAI had originally asked for 49 acres but increased the request to 56 acres to ensure proper road connectivity.
The district administration has begun the necessary process for land acquisition. However, no timeline has been provided for when the state government will hand over the land. Once the government approves the proposal, a survey will be conducted, and notices will be issued to the concerned landowners.
The current Belagavi Airport operates on 755 acres of land, serving eight destinations with two airlines, Indigo and Star Air.
