Karwar Airport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Airports Authority of India | ||||||||||
| Serves | Uttara Kannada District,Karnataka | ||||||||||
| Location | Alageri ( nearAnkola), (Karnataka) | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  Karwar Airport | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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Karwar Airport is a proposed airport and will be built by theIndian Navy at Alageri village[1] nearAnkola inKarnataka. The naval air station is expected to start functioning in 2025.[2]
TheAirports Authority of India (AAI) will operate acivil enclave at the naval air base which is part of the Navy's Rs 10,000 crore Phase 2 ofProject Seabird.[3]
The Naval Air Station Karwar is being built on 1,328 acres[4] primarily to cater to the Navy's large, ship-based helicopter units andDornier 228 aircraft that will be stationed at the base.[5] The Indian Navy'sBoeing P-8I, advanced maritime surveillance aircraft is also expected to be stationed at Ankola.[6]
The commissioning of a naval air station atKarwar will decongest INS Hansa at the nearbyDabolim 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[7]
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 nearAnkola to 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) to accommodateAirbus A320s and to acquire 75 extra hectares for this purpose.[8] 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.
Navy had initially planned to construct a 2,000-metre long runway for the naval air station. The Karnataka State Government approached the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to use the air station for civil operations. The MoD approved of the proposal and asked the State government to facilitate the extension of the runway by another 1000 metres to a total of 3000 meters.[2]
The AAI had carried out an inspection of the site at the request of the Karnataka Government in 2006. It 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.[8]Accordingly, in 2019, the district administration began acquiring 40 acres for extension of the runway and for the terminal building.[2] The State Government has requested the Central Government to bear the cost of acquisition of this additional land, estimated to be Rs. 20 crores.[9]
14°38′52″N74°19′47″E / 14.64781°N 74.32970°E /14.64781; 74.32970
