Shivamogga Airport, located in Karnataka, is all set to commence operations on August 31st, marking a significant milestone for central Karnataka.
The airport, named in honor of the esteemed Kannada poet Kuvempu, was officially inaugurated on February 27th by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The inaugural flight for Shivamogga Airport will be an Indigo flight departing from Bengaluru’s Kempe Gowda International Airport at 9:50 am and arriving at Shivamogga Airport at 11:05 am.
Among the notable passengers on this maiden flight are state ministers MB Patil and Madhu Bangarappa, former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, MP BY Raghavendra, and other public representatives from the Malnad region. Notably, Shivamogga Airport will be the first airport operated by the state government.
Karnataka minister MB Patil expressed optimism about the flight service’s initial response, highlighting that tickets have already been booked for the next three weeks.
Shivamogga will become the sixth destination for IndiGo in Karnataka, joining the ranks of Bengaluru, Mysore, Mangaluru, Hubballi, and Belagavi.
This new direct flight is expected to enhance intrastate connectivity and provide a convenient link from Shivamogga to vital domestic and international destinations via Bengaluru.
Spanning over a sprawling 663-acre land area, Shivamogga Airport was established with an investment of ₹449.22 crore. The foundation for the airport was laid in June 2020 by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. The Passenger Terminal Building of the airport has been designed to accommodate up to 300 passengers per hour.
Shivamogga Airport’s runway is the second-longest in Karnataka, measuring 3,200 meters, after Kempe Gowda International Airport.
It is suitably designed to handle aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, boasting a capacity to cater to around 200 passengers during peak hours.
This new addition makes Shivamogga Airport the 9th domestic airport in Karnataka, with the state already being home to domestic airports in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Ballari, Bidar, Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Belagavi, and Mangaluru. Bengaluru and Mangaluru further serve as the two international airports in the state, facilitating both domestic and global travel.