Ballari’s Jindal airport adjudged best in regional segment

Hubballi: Jindal Vijayanagar Airport, the first and the only private airport under UDAN, has been adjudged the “Best Airport and Airport Operator” under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) by the ministry of civil aviation. The feat was achieved within six months of flight operations commencing at the airport situated near Toranagallu in Ballari district.
Captain Sreenivas Krishnan, head of aviation, JSW Steel, said that the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) recently announced the launch of “Wings India Awards” for excellence in the aviation sector in partnership with Airports Authority of India. The awards are conferred upon aviation-related companies, institutions and organizations that have created benchmarks and made notable contributions in civil aviation.

“The airport has become a hotspot for tourists and business passengers. The flight operations at the airport are managed by a private airliner. Currently, the airport connects Vijayanagar to Bengaluru and Hyderabad, which are the important trade centres and the capitals of two major South Indian states,” he said.

JSW Steel Vijayanagar Work dedicated its airport to the nation on September 21, 2017. The same day, the first flight to Hyderabad under RCS was flagged-off by minister of state for civil aviation, Jayant Sinha.

Krishnan claimed that all the passenger facilities at the airport are absolutely free. “The JSW Group does not levy any airport maintenance fees, or even the parking charges. It is perhaps the only airport in the nation to give free night parking facilities to flight operators/commuters. The airport also provides free office space to our airline partners. We have not seen officials from any corporate player toiling so hard to open the facilities to the nation for no pecuniary or any other benefits whatsoever,” he said.

T S Gouda, airport director, said that there is a fully operational food stall, walkable tarmac and hanger, fully operation reverse osmosis filters. “In order to further strengthen the passenger terminal expansion and navigational facilities, JSW has pledged to invest a sum of Rs 78 crore in the next two years. Moreover, to improve passenger safety, JSW will further invest a sum of Rs 2.4 crore during the same period,” he said.

The airport serves over 250 people daily.