Bengaluru, March 11 (IANS) Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil on Wednesday said that while the Central government has declared Madurai Airport in Tamil Nadu as an international airport, it has not taken a similar decision regarding Hubballi and Belagavi airports in Karnataka, asserting that this reflects a discriminatory approach and is not acceptable.

“How can it be butter for them and lime for us?” he questioned.

Speaking on the issue in Bengaluru, Minister Patil said the Central government may have taken this decision keeping the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections in mind. However, its indifferent attitude towards Karnataka’s demand is questionable, he remarked.

He said a letter had been written on June 24, 2025, to Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, requesting that Hubballi and Belagavi airports be upgraded to international status, as this would greatly benefit the North Karnataka region. In this context, Union Minister and Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi, Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar and Haveri MP Basavaraj Bommai should raise their voices and stand firmly for the interests of the state, he urged.

At least one of the two airports — Hubballi or Belagavi — should be declared an international airport, he said, adding that if both are upgraded it would be even more welcome. The Central government must recognise the state’s requirement, Patil added.

On March 10, 2026, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially approved the declaration of Madurai Airport (IXM) in Tamil Nadu as an international airport. The upgrade aims to boost tourism to regional and religious sites, improve trade and enhance global connectivity, acting as a major hub for southern Tamil Nadu.

With Madurai Airport being declared an international airport, a 16-year-long wait for the Customs airport to gain international status has come to an end following the Union Cabinet’s approval on March 10, 2026.

The decision will enable Madurai Airport to operate flights to several international destinations in addition to the existing routes to Colombo, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Belagavi city is located in northern Karnataka, about 499 km from Bengaluru and nearly 550 km from Mumbai.

The city houses the Suvarna Vikas Soudha and has often been proposed as the second capital of Karnataka. Belagavi is the largest district in the state and its fourth-largest city. The city is situated near the foothills of the Sahyadri mountain range, also known as the Western Ghats.

Belagavi is also an educational hub with several medical and engineering colleges, and the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), which governs engineering colleges across Karnataka, is located in the city.

According to the Airports Authority of India, the airport was established by the Royal Air Force in 1942. Indian Airlines commenced operations from 1947. Between 1989 and 2011, several private airlines operated at Belagavi Airport.

Since May 1, 2019, the airport has been operating direct flights to 13 cities — Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kadapa, Mysuru, Indore, Ahmedabad, Surat, Tirupati, Jodhpur and Nashik — through five airlines: Alliance Air, SpiceJet, Star Air, IndiGo and TruJet.

–IANS

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