Goverment may start state airline to boost regional connectivity

Patil said he has held discussions with owner and founder of Star Air, Sanjay Ghodawat regarding the initiative

Bengaluru

According to Patil, the idea was born out of the government’s decision to start maintaining airports on its own. (ANI)

The state government is considering to launch its own airline for regional connectivity, industries and infrastructure development minister MB Patil said on Friday.

Patil said he has held discussions with owner and founder of Star Air, Sanjay Ghodawat regarding the initiative. “He said that one aircraft costs ₹ 200 crore. So, if we want to buy three new aircraft, it will cost ₹600 crore. The cost will be much cheaper if we lease the planes. ₹600 crore for the government is not a big amount. We are considering it,” Patil said on Friday.

According to Patil, the idea was born out of the government’s decision to start maintaining airports on its own. “The Shivamogga airport is the first which will be managed by the state government. The upcoming airports at Vijayapura, Raichur, Ballari, Karwar and Hassan will be managed by the state. Earlier we used to hand over them to the Airports Authority of India with no benefit to us,” he said.

The maiden flight operated by Indigo Airlines from Bengaluru landed at the newly constructed Kuvempu airport at Sogane near Shivamogga on Thursday. The airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 27 this year.

The industries minister said that if regional air connectivity can be improved, then the state’s own airline is not impossible. Air connectivity can be provided from Mysuru to Bengaluru, Bengaluru to Kalaburagi, Bengaluru to Hubballi, Mysuru to Kalaburagi, Bengaluru to Shivamogga and other routes, he added.