Bellary is at the center of Karnataka’s latest aviation and real estate surge. With mini airports set to come up under the Centre’s UDAN scheme, land prices in Bellary and four other districts, Kolar, Raichur, Kushalnagar, and Hassan, are witnessing a sharp rise. While talks for a second international airport in Bengaluru continue, the momentum in these five districts has already boosted local land rates, sparking a real estate rush.
According to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, bids have been received to operate small aircraft from the Bellary and Kolar airstrips. In response to a query raised by BJP MP Lehar Singh Siroya in the Rajya Sabha, the Centre informed that the Karnataka government has been asked to initiate the land acquisition process, with the expectation that the state will provide land free of cost.
The airports will initially serve small aircraft, with further upgrades expected in later phases. Meanwhile, the bidding process for airstrips in Raichur, Kushalnagar, and Hassan is also underway.
Real estate trends in these districts suggest prices are on the rise, with expectations of a further spike as construction gains pace. These five airports are in addition to the seven existing or ongoing UDAN airports in Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hubballi, Belagavi, Bidar, Kalaburagi, and Toranagallu, taking the total number under this scheme in Karnataka to twelve.