The government is considering operating new airports in the State built completely out of State funds, rather than handing them over to the Airports Authority of India.
Minister for Major Industries and Infrastructure Development M.B. Patil said in Vijayapura on Friday that the new airports in Kalaburagi and Shivamogga have been built from State funds and also the ones coming up in Hassan and Vijayapura are being constructed only out of State funds. The Union government has not released any funds for these projects. It seems meaningless to hand them over to the AAI. The State government is considering a proposal for operating and maintaining them, he said.
He was speaking to journalists after inspecting the airport site. The project will finally cost nearly ₹400 crore, he said.