Kalaburagi Airport (IATA: GBI, ICAO: VOGB) is a domestic airport serving the city of Kalaburagi in Karnataka, India. It is located 12 km (7.5 mi) east from the city centre. It was built by the Karnataka State Public Works Department (PWD) with technical assistance from RITES Limited[4] and is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).[5]

Kalaburagi Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerAirports Authority of India
OperatorAirports Authority of India
ServesKalaburagi
LocationSrinivas Saradagi, Kalaburagi district, Karnataka, India
Elevation AMSL479 m / 1,571 ft
Coordinates17°18′28″N 76°57′29″E / 17.30778°N 76.95806°E / 17.30778; 76.95806 (Gulbarga Airport)
Map
GBI is located in Karnataka
GBI
GBI
GBI is located in India
GBI
GBI
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
09/27 10,417 3,175 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2023 – March 2024)
Passengers54,862 (Decrease 30.7%)
Aircraft movements1,641 (Decrease 17.7%)
Cargo tonnage
Source: AAI[1][2][3]

History

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The terminal building of GBI Airport.

The 120 crore greenfield project was initially scheduled be built under Public–private partnership (PPP) with the government of Karnataka (GoK).[6]

On 15 November 2007, the government of Karnataka awarded the Gulbarga Airport project to a consortium of Maytas Infra Ltd. (Now IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company Limited),[7] NCC Infrastructure Holdings Ltd. (NCC) and VIE India Project Development and Holding on a Build–operate–transfer (BOT) basis. The concession period was to be 30 years, extendable by an additional 30 years, by mutual agreement.[8]

Gulbarga Airport Developers Pvt. Ltd. (GADPL), a Special Purpose Company (SPC), was established to sign the Project Development Agreement (PDA) with the Infrastructure Development Department of the Government of Karnataka. The shareholding pattern of Maytas Infra, NCC and VIE in the SPC was 37%, 37% and 26% respectively. The agreement was subsequently signed on 2 April 2008.[8] and the foundation stone for Phase I of the project was laid by former Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri B. S. Yediyurappa on 14 June 2008.[9]

Gulbarga Airport was to have started operations in the latter half of 2012 but was delayed[10] due to financial mismanagement/disputes between the shareholders of Gulbarga Airport Development Ltd (GADL).[11]

The state government terminated the contract in January 2015 for not complying with the Project Development Agreement (PDA), which required the completion of construction work by May 2012. The State Government then decided to complete the remaining work through its own Public Works Department.[12] In September 2016, the State PWD started the first phase of work on the airport. This included extending the runway to 3.2 km. from the existing 1.9 km., to facilitate the landing of larger aircraft, and completing the compound wall. Construction of the terminal building and other facilities would be taken up in the second phase.[4] On 26 August 2018, two Diamond Aircraft flew in from Hyderabad and landed on the runway at Gulbarga as a trial.[13] Construction work was completed by August 2019 at a cost of Rs. 181 Crore, not including the cost of acquiring 742 acres of land.[14] The airport was formally handed over to the AAI on 24 August 2019. The Karnataka Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC), on behalf of the Government of Karnataka, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AAI to develop, operate and maintain the airport.[5]

The airport was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Karnataka B. S. Yediyurappa on 22 November 2019.[15][16]

In 2021, Kalaburagi Airport saw steady surge in passenger and flight traffic with as many as 619 flights were operated between April and July 2021[17][18]

Airlines and destinations

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Apron area of the airport
AirlinesDestinations
Alliance AirBangalore
Star AirBangalore, Tirupati

Statistics

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Annual passenger traffic at GBI airport. See Wikidata query.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b "CM launches left-over works for Gulbarga airport". Deccan Herald. 18 September 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Govt hands over Kalaburagi Airport to AAI". Deccan Herald. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  6. ^ "Karnataka to open two greenfield minor airports by July 2013". Business Standard. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  7. ^ C R Sukumar (1 September 2009). IL&FS may partner foreign firms to improve Maytas Infra position. livemint.com. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  8. ^ a b Gulbarga Airport IL&FS Engineering Services
  9. ^ Gulbarga airport remains a promise Deccan Herald, The Printers (Mysore) Private Ltd
  10. ^ "Kharge fumes over delay in Gulbarga airport project work". The Hindu. 6 November 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  11. ^ "Airport projects in four cities in limbo as promoters back out". Deccan Herald. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  12. ^ "Kalaburagi airport project may go to PWD". Deccan Herald. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  13. ^ ಕಲಬುರ್ಗಿ ವಿಮಾನ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾಯೋಗಿಕ ಹಾರಾಟ ಯಶಸ್ವಿ! kannadaprabha.com
  14. ^ "Kalaburagi Airport Ready for Operation". United News of India. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  15. ^ "Kalaburagi airport inaugurated by Karnataka CM Yediyurappa; full flight schedule". The Indian Express. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  16. ^ "Kalaburagi Airport inaugurated under UDAN/RCS". www.aninews.in. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  17. ^ Sangamesh Menasinakai (26 August 2021). "Steady surge in passenger and flight traffic at Kalaburagi Airport | Hubballi News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  18. ^ "The anatomy of a small airport: Kalaburagi airport is among India's fastest growing". Moneycontrol. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2022.