BENGALURU: The state govt is exploring the possibility of setting up a single airport to serve Ballari, Vijayanagara and Koppal districts, citing mixed results of the Centre’s Udan scheme.Infrastructure development minister MB Patil told the legislative council Tuesday that the govt is assessing a viable model after some regional airports struggled once the initial support under Udan ended.Responding to a question from BJP’s YM Satish, Patil said passenger demand has been low in some places. “Airports in Kalaburagi and Bidar struggled after the initial 3-year support under Udan,” he said. “While Bidar has now resumed operations, we do not want the proposed Ballari airport to become a white elephant.”He said the govt is examining the feasibility of establishing an airport at a location that can cater to all three districts in Kalyana Karnataka. The proposal to build an airport in Ballari dates to 2010, when 900 acres was acquired and handed over to Chennai-based MARG Srikrishnadevaraya Airport Private Ltd. However, the agreement was later cancelled after the company failed to begin work within the stipulated two year.In Oct 2025, the govt invited tenders to appoint consultants to prepare a detailed project report. However, residents of Vijayanagara and Koppal have been demanding separate airport facilities.“Building separate airports for each district may not be feasible,” Patil said, while clarifying that the land acquired for the Ballari airport will not be returned. He said he has requested the Centre to extend the support period under the Udan scheme from three years to five to improve long-term viability of regional airports.
