Airport type Public | Serves Karwar, Ankola | |
 | ||
Location Alageri ( Ankola), (Karnataka) Operator Airports Authority of India | ||
The proposed Karwar Airport will be built by the Indian Navy at Alageri village near Ankola, in Karnataka. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will operate a civil enclave at the naval air base which is part of the Navy’s Rs 10,000 crore Phase 2 of Project Seabird.
Contents
Naval Air Station
The naval air station is being built on 52 hectares primarily to cater to the Navy's large, ship-based helicopter units and Dornier 228 aircraft that will be stationed at the base. The commissioning of a Naval Air Station at Karwar will decongest INS Hansa at the nearby Dabolim Airport which is a front line Air Station that is highly congested with both operational and training flying. The resulting restrictions on civil commercial air traffic has met with opposition from civilian quarters since Goa is a popular tourist destination In India
In early 2007, there were reports of a concerted move by the Navy, the AAI, and the state of Karnataka to extend the runway planned at the naval base at Karwar to 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) to accommodate Airbus A320s and to acquire 75 extra hectares for this purpose. However, there have been no corresponding plans announced so far to relocate flight training from Dabolim to this airport or any other more convenient place.
Civilian Use
The Navy requires more land to expand the airport for civilian use and is waiting for the Karnataka Government to acquire more land for the construction of a runway. The AAI, which carried out an inspection of the site at the request of the Karnataka Government, had given suggestions regarding orientation, location and extension of the proposed runway to 2,500 metres and also of its land requirements of an additional 75 hectares. The State Government has requested the Central Government to bear the cost of acquisition of this additional land, estimated to be Rs. 20 crores.