Airlines told to submit bids for Bengaluru–Bidar, Kalaburagi flights by March 23

Bengaluru:

Airlines have been asked to submit proposals by March 23 to operate flight services from Bengaluru to Bidar and Kalaburagi, and a final decision will be taken in the next meeting, Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil said on Monday.

Patil chaired a meeting with representatives of various airlines at his office in Vidhana Soudha. Ministers Sharanaprakash Patil, Priyank Kharge, Rahim Khan, and Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board (KKRDB) Chairman Dr Ajay Singh were present.

Addressing the media, Patil said flight operations from Kalaburagi airport are currently suspended, while Bidar has only one daily service supported by the KKRDB. He noted that the Centre had earlier provided support under the UDAN scheme for three years to promote regional connectivity, and services have been affected after the end of that period.

“Kalaburagi airport, spread across 742 acres, has the infrastructure required for operations. In today’s meeting, we discussed the feasibility of services and facilities provided by the Airports Authority at both locations,” he said.

Airlines indicated that Kalaburagi has the capacity to handle all types of aircraft, including night parking facilities, and could support daily flights to Bengaluru and other cities. One airline has proposed operating a morning flight from Bengaluru to Bidar and an evening service to Kalaburagi. The possibility of a Bengaluru–Kalaburagi–Hyderabad–Bengaluru route is also being explored.

Patil added that airlines will ultimately assess the commercial viability of these routes, but improved air connectivity in the Kalyana Karnataka region could boost economic activity.

Representatives from IndiGo, Air India, Alliance Air, Star Air and Akasa Air attended the meeting. Infrastructure Development Department Secretary R Vishal and KSIIDC Managing Director Khushboo Goel Choudhary were also present.