Minister M B Patil has held discussions with officials regarding the relocation of the proposed airport near Chaganur village, on the outskirts of Ballari. Patil advocates for the airport to be situated in a location that benefits both Ballari and Vijayanagara districts. Sources suggest that the minister has informally addressed the issue with officials and local representatives multiple times. The revised site, about 15 km from Ballari and near the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border, is expected to serve both districts and provide advantages to the neighboring Andhra Pradesh region.
Establishing the airport between Ballari and Hosapete could meet the demands of both districts, reducing costs and promoting tourism to key destinations like Hampi and Koppal. Hampi attracts around five lakh foreign tourists annually, with an additional 10 lakh domestic visitors. Sandur also has significant tourism potential, and Kuduthini and Torangallu are growing industrial hubs. The minister is focused on finding an ideal location for the airport to support both tourism and industry.
The minister’s concern stems from the fact that some of the state’s airports are located near the borders of other states, such as Kempegowda International Airport near Anantapur and HAL Airport near Tamil Nadu’s Hosur. Patil wants to avoid a similar situation with Ballari’s airport. His goal is to select a location that can serve multiple districts, fulfilling various needs.
Though 900 acres of land have already been acquired for the Ballari airport at Sirawara-Chaganur, construction has not yet started. Currently, around 3,600 passengers use the JSW Airstrip at Vidyanagar, Torangallu every month, with over 100 flights operating.
Ballari’s Historic Airport
Ballari is home to the first airport in Karnataka, located near Rao Bahadur Y Mahabaleshwarappa Engineering College. This airport, built before independence, was a strategic site during British rule and was used as an airstrip during World War II. In 1932, JRD Tata flew from Ballari to Madras. However, the airport lost its significance after Jindal Airport was given permission to operate, with Tata Airlines and Vayudoot flights once serving the site. The public is disappointed that Ballari, with its rich history, still lacks a functioning airport.