Yediyurappa invites PM to inaugurate Kalaburgi airport

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the newly developed Kalaburgi airport.

Yediyurappa, who is currently on a visit to New Delhi, met the prime minister on Friday morning.

"I request you to kindly inaugurate Kalaburgi airport on a convenient day during the month of September 2019," he said in a letter which he handed over to Modi.

"In this regard, the government of Karnataka will co-ordinate with your office for finalising the schedule of the inaugural function," Yediyurappa said.

Pointing out that the newly developed airport at Kalaburgi is located in the backward Hyderabad-Karnataka region -- provided special status under article 371 J of the Constitution -- he said it has been developed by the state government and is proposed to be taken over by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for further operations.

The chief minister also met Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri and invited him for the proposed inauguration next month.

He requested the minister to complete formalities so that the AAI can takeover the air port at the earliest.

Pointing out that the AAI has agreed to take over the airport for further operation and management, Yediyurappa in a letter to Puri said an MoU between the state government and the AAI has to be finalised and signed.

"I request that the MoU be finalised and signed early so that the AAI can take over and operationalise the airport at the earliest," he said.

Highlighting that the newly developed airport has already been inspected by the AAI, the DGCA and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Yediyurappa said the Civil Aviation Ministry has also received proposals from flight operators.