IndiGo will re-start Belagavi-Mumbai flights, says MP Jagadish Shettar

IndiGo has assured us of re-starting flights to Mumbai from Belagavi, Lok Sabha member Jagadish Shettar said in Belagavi on Wednesday.

“I spoke to head, sales, IndiGo, Anshul Sethi urging him to re-start flights to Mumbai and to provide air connectivity to Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Surat from Belagavi. Mr. Sethi has given a clear assurance that IndiGo will provide flight services to Mumbai in the coming days and that he will also look into expanding this service to major cities like Chennai, Pune and Surat,’’ Mr. Shettar said.

“I told him that hundreds of businessmen travel from Belagavi to Mumbai every day for business transactions. But there is currently no flight service available to Mumbai. Therefore, it was said during the discussion that if IndiGo provides flight services from Belagavi to Mumbai, it will be very convenient for businessmen and the public,” he said.

“Accordingly, there is a demand from the public to provide flight services to major cities like Pune, Surat and Chennai. He agreed to consider these demands favourably,” Mr. Shettar said.

Meanwhile, the MP held a meeting with senior officials in Belagavi on Tuesday to review the progress of various projects. Officials of the district administration, the railways and NHAI were present.

Revenue officials told him that acquisition of 1,200 acres has been completed for the Belagavi-Kittur-Dharwad new railway line and a proposal for ₹149 crore compensation has been submitted to the State government.

A final notification has already been issued for the acquisition of 407 acres. Once funds are released, land will be handed over to the Railways, they said.

Railway officials also said that permission has been sought from the Police Commissioner to divert traffic for the construction of the second railway line near LC No 381 at Tilakwadi. Work is expected to start soon, they added.

Mr. Shettar asked forest officials to speed up the process of issuing clearance to a railway flyover near Khanapur. He asked NHAI officials to speed up work on the six-laning work on the Belagavi-Sankeshwar National Highway.

He also asked Public Works and other officials to speed up work on the Halaga-Mache bypass road. Officials said that land acquisition for 35 km of the 44 km Belagavi-Hunagund-Raichur road project has been completed and the process for acquiring the rest will begin soon.

Mr. Shettar said that he will speak to the Defence Minister regarding pending land transfer from the Indian Air Force to the AAI for expansion of the Belagavi airport at Sambra.