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{{Short description|Airport of Karnataka, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = New Bellary Airport
| image =
| image-width = 250
| IATA =
| ICAO =
| type = Public
| operator =
| city-served = [[Bellary]]
| location = Near Chaganur and [[Sirivaram]] villages, [[Karnataka]], India
| elevation-f =
| elevation-m =
| r1-number =
| r1-length-f =
| r1-surface =
| footnotes =
}}

'''New Bellary Airport''' is a proposed [[Greenfield airport|greenfield]] airport, which will serve the city of [[Bellary]] in [[Karnataka]], [[India]]. It will be built by the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (KSIIDC). With the Public-Private Partnership project for developing the airport failing to take off, the State department has decided to take up the project on its own on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis.<ref>{{cite news |date=26 September 2022 |title=Ballari airport: IDD gives nod to cancel deal with Chennai firm |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/ballari-airport-idd-gives-nod-to-cancel-deal-with-chennai-firm-1148222.html |work=[[Deccan Herald]] |access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref> The new airport site is located roughly {{convert|12|km}} northeast of Bellary, near the villages of Chaganur and [[Sirivaram]].

==History==
In September 2008, the [[Government of Karnataka]] approved a proposal to build a new airport for [[Bellary]] under the [[public–private partnership]] model. The airport would be built on {{convert|1000|acre}} near the villages of Chaganur and [[Sirivaram]], {{convert|12|km}} northeast of the city.<ref>{{cite news |date=26 September 2008 |title=Karnataka plans to set up a new airport at Bellary |url=http://zeenews.india.com/home/karnataka-plans-to-set-up-a-new-airport-at-bellary_472219.html |work=[[Zee News]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> The State Government began inviting bids for assistance from the private sector in December 2008.<ref>{{cite news |date=24 December 2008 |title=Karnataka invites bids for Bellary airport project |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-logistics/karnataka-invites-bids-for-bellary-airport-project/article1644654.ece |work=[[The Hindu Business Line]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> In that same month, [[Airports Authority of India]] officials who had arrived to survey the land designated for the project were turned away by protesting farmers, who objected to the location of the airport on their fertile lands. Violent protests erupted in February 2009.<ref>{{cite news |date=16 February 2009 |title=Police cane farmers, fire in air |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/article37014.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809221325/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/article37014.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 August 2016 |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref>

In July 2009, however, some farmers said they were willing to give their land to the State as long as proper compensation was received.<ref>{{cite news |date=14 July 2009 |title=Big farmers ready to give up land for Bellary airport |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/article94657.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809222845/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/article94657.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 August 2016 |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> One year later, the State Government had acquired roughly {{convert|900|acre}} of land for the project.<ref>{{cite news |date=22 July 2010 |title=Chennai company gets Bellary airport contract |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/83227/chennai-company-gets-bellary-airport.html |work=[[Deccan Herald]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> Construction company [[MARG (company)|MARG]] won the contract to build the airport, and the [[foundation stone]] was laid on 20 August 2010.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shah |first=Mitali |date=23 August 2010 |title=Bellary Greenfield Airport Project takes off |url=http://www.constructionweekonline.in/bellary-greenfield-airport-project-takes-off/ |work=ConstructionWeekIndia |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> MARG said it would invest {{INRConvert|230|c}}, of which {{INRConvert|110|c}} would be spent on the initial phase.<ref>{{cite news |date=7 August 2010 |title=Bellary airport now closer to take-off |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Bellary-airport-now-closer-to-take-off/articleshow/6268783.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> This phase would encompass the construction of a terminal building with a capacity for 100 passengers and an [[airport apron|apron]] with 6–8 parking stands. The airport would be able to handle [[ATR (aircraft manufacturer)|ATR]] aircraft.<ref>{{cite news |date=7 August 2010 |title=Bellary to get greenfield airport through Marg |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/bellary-to-get-greenfield-airport-through-marg-110080700053_1.html |work=[[Business Standard]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref>

In January 2012, the [[Karnataka High Court]] rejected the State Government's notifications to obtain {{convert|250|acre}} of land for the airport. Over 70 farmers had petitioned to the Court, claiming it was excessive to construct a third airport for Bellary; [[Bellary Airport]] and [[Jindal Vijaynagar Airport]] in [[Toranagallu]], {{convert|30|km}} west of Bellary, already existed. The petitioners noted that [[Air Deccan]] had suffered low occupancy on its flights to Toranagallu and that Bellary was equidistant from two airports, the ones in [[Bangalore]] and [[Hyderabad]].<ref>{{cite news |date=5 January 2012 |title=Bellary airport land: Karnataka HC quashes acquisition notification |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report-bellary-airport-land-karnataka-hc-quashes-acquisition-notification-1633776 |work=[[Daily News and Analysis]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> The loss of land made it impossible to lay the runway for the new airport. By June 2013, MARG had walked out on the project.<ref>{{cite news |last=Raghunandan |first=P. |date=18 June 2013 |title=Airport projects in four cities in limbo as promoters back out |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/339636/airport-projects-four-cities-limbo.html |work=[[Deccan Herald]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> Farmers who had given away their land decided to continue cultivating it as progress on the airport had halted.<ref name="july28">{{cite news |last=Ahiraj |first=M. |date=28 July 2014 |title=Bellary airport proposal revived |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/bellary-airport-proposal-revived/article6255896.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref>

The Infrastructure Development Department of the State Government revived the project in mid-2014, upon learning that MARG had expressed renewed interest in it and was willing to survey the land.<ref name="july28" /> The survey began in September 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kumar |first=Bhukker |date=20 September 2014 |title=Bellary Airport: Survey of Land Begins |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/Bellary-Airport-Survey-of-Land-Begins/2014/09/20/article2440770.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920043711/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/Bellary-Airport-Survey-of-Land-Begins/2014/09/20/article2440770.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 September 2014 |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> In August 2015, the Department said that land acquisition issues had been resolved and that work on the [[greenfield airport]] would begin following the completion of [[Gulbarga Airport]].<ref>{{cite news |date=6 August 2015 |title=Fate of local airports up in the air |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/fate-of-local-airports-up-in-the-air/article7507786.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref> The State then began the process of handing over {{convert|892|acre}} of land to MARG.<ref>{{cite news |last=Raghunandan |first=P. |date=15 September 2015 |title=Govt to revive controversial Ballari greenfield airport project |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/501052/govt-revive-controversial-ballari-greenfield.html |work=[[Deccan Herald]] |access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref>

Around 900 acres have been earmarked for the project with the State reserving Rs 150 crore for the initial funding. The survey work began on 20 March. The airport runway will be equipped to handle the ATR-72 fleet but will gradually be extended to allow the Airbus 320<ref>{{Cite web|author=Sridhar Vivan|date=Apr 12, 2021|title=Survey work for Ballari airport begins|url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/survey-work-for-ballari-airport-begins/articleshow/82020636.cms|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Bangalore Mirror|language=en}}</ref> The survey work has been started and as per the MARG banner at the site, the airport is named as 'Sri Krishnadevaraya Airport'. It is named after [[Krishnadevaraya]], who was the king of the [[Vijayanagara Empire]].

In December 2022, the State Government cancelled its contract with MARG.<ref>{{cite news |date=6 August 2015 |title=Karnataka: Govt cancels Ballari airport contract with MARG |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/karnataka-govt-cancels-ballari-airport-contract-with-marg/articleshow/95989383.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Portal bar|Aviation}}
{{Airports in India}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord missing|Karnataka}}

[[Category:Ballari]]
[[Category:Airports in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Proposed airports in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Ballari district]]
[[Category:Transport in Ballari district]]

New Bellary Airport - Revision history

ErwinGholson17: added a post more to come