Bengaluru, June 11 (IANS) Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister M. B. Patil has urged the Centre to include the Bengaluru–Shivamogga air route in the upcoming UDAN bidding process so that the service, which has been suspended owing to financial losses, can be restored.

He said the resumption of flights is crucial for the economic and social development of the Malnad region and parts of Central Karnataka. In this regard, he has written to Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu seeking his intervention.

Shivamogga Airport commenced operations in February 2023, following which IndiGo operated flights between Shivamogga and Bengaluru. However, the service has remained suspended for the past few months, causing inconvenience to passengers.

In his letter, Patil pointed out that air connectivity between the two cities is vital for supporting the economic, agricultural, tourism and industrial growth of districts such as Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Karwar, Davanagere, Chitradurga and Haveri.

The absence of a direct flight between Shivamogga and Bengaluru has also affected travellers seeking connectivity to other parts of the country and international destinations. Patil has therefore requested the Union Minister to facilitate the inclusion of the Bengaluru–Shivamogga route in the proposed UDAN bidding process with support under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) mechanism.

Patil further noted that work on providing night-landing facilities at Shivamogga Airport is progressing rapidly. He added that all other essential infrastructure and facilities are already in place at the airport. Urging the Union Government to consider the request favourably, he called for early steps to restore the air service for the benefit of the region.

The UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme is a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Government of India under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Its primary goal is to make air travel affordable for the masses and expand flight connectivity to unserved and underserved Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities across the country.

The scheme offers subsidised airfares to make regional travel accessible. To keep fares low without compromising safety, participating airlines receive a government subsidy called VGF to offset operational costs on unserved routes. Since its launch, the scheme has successfully connected numerous unconnected areas, including remote, hilly and island regions through heliports and water aerodromes.

–IANS

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