Gulbarga Airport

Gulbarga Airport
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Government of Karnataka
Serves Gulbarga
Location Srinivas Saradagi, Kalaburagi district
Hub for Gulbarga
Coordinates 17°18′28″N 76°57′29″E / 17.30778°N 76.95806°E / 17.30778; 76.95806 (Gulbarga Airport)Coordinates: 17°18′28″N 76°57′29″E / 17.30778°N 76.95806°E / 17.30778; 76.95806 (Gulbarga Airport)
Map
Gulbarga Airport
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
10,744.75 3,275 Asphalt

Kalaburagi Airport is a greenfield airport built to serve Kalaburagi in Karnataka, India. The project site is 15 km east of the city on State Highway 10 (Sedam Road) near Srinivas Saradagi village. The total length of the airfield is 7.5 km. A trial landing was done successfully on 26th August 2018. It is India's 10th and Karnataka's 2nd longest runway. [1]

History

The airport is built by the Karnataka State Public Works Department (PWD) with technical assistance from RITES Limited.[2] The Rs. 120 crore project was initially scheduled be built under Public–private partnership (PPP) with the Government of Karnataka (GoK)[3] However, due to delays in project execution,[4] the contract was terminated in January 2015.[5] In April 2017, Kalaburagi Airport completed 25% of its 3.26 km x 60 m runway development project. The project was originally planned for completion in Dec 2017 but was pushed forward to May 2018 following the Karnataka State Government’s decision to cancel a Memorandum of Understanding with Gulbarga Airport Developers Ltd.

Kalaburagi Airport will receive its first commercial service in November 2018. The airport’s current runway is extended from 1.97 km. to 3.26 km. [6]

History

On 15 November 2007, the government of Karnataka awarded the Gulbarga Airport project to a consortium of Maytas Infra Ltd. (Now IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company Limited),[7] NCC Infrastructure Holdings Ltd. (NCC) and VIE India Project Development and Holding on a Build–operate–transfer (BOT) basis. The concession period was to be 30 years, extendable by an additional 30 years, by mutual agreement.[8]

Gulbarga Airport Developers Pvt. Ltd. (GADPL), a Special Purpose Company (SPC), was established to sign the Project Development Agreement (PDA) with the Infrastructure Development Department of the Government of Karnataka. The shareholding pattern of Maytas Infra, NCC and VIE in the SPC was 37%, 37% and 26% respectively. The agreement was subsequently signed on 2 April 2008.[8] and the foundation stone for Phase I of the project was laid by former Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri B. S. Yeddyurappa on 14 June 2008.[9]

Gulbarga airport was to have started operations in the latter half of 2012 but was delayed[10] due to financial mismanagement/ disputes between the shareholders of Gulbarga Airport Development Ltd (GADL).[4]

The State Government terminated the contract in January 2015 for not complying with the Project Development Agreement (PDA), which required the completion of construction work by May 2012. The State Government then decided to complete the remaining work through its own Public Works Department.[5] In September 2016, the State PWD started the first phase of work on the airport. This included extending the runway to 3.2 km. from the existing 1.9 km., to facilitate the landing of larger aircraft, and completing the compound wall. Construction of the terminal building and other facilities would be taken up in the second phase.[2] [6]

Trial

Kalaburagi Airport trial landing was done successfully on 26th August 2018. The trial was taken up by APFT Asia Pacific Flight Training. [11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ ಕಲಬುರ್ಗಿ ವಿಮಾನ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾಯೋಗಿಕ ಹಾರಾಟ ಯಶಸ್ವಿ! kannadaprabha.com
  2. 1 2 Herald%5d%5d "CM launches left-over works for Gulbarga airport" Check |url= value (help). 18 September 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Karnataka to open two greenfield minor airports by July 2013". Business Standard. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Airport projects in four cities in limbo as promoters back out". Deccan Herald. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Kalaburagi airport project may go to PWD". Deccan Herald. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Gulbarga Airport New Airport Profile - CAPA". centreforaviation.com.
  7. ↑ C R Sukumar (1 September 2009). IL&FS may partner foreign firms to improve Maytas Infra position. livemint.com. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  8. 1 2 Gulbarga Airport IL&FS Engineering Services
  9. ↑ Gulbarga airport remains a promise Deccan Herald, The Printers (Mysore) Private Ltd
  10. ↑ "Kharge fumes over delay in Gulbarga airport project work". The Hindu. 6 November 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "long-cherished-dream-comes-true-as-aircraft-trial-run-was-successful-at-kalaburagi-airport-runway".
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