The airport is ready for operations, and the remaining statutory approvals, including environmental clearance and inspection by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), will determine the timeline, Patil said in a statement.
Welcoming the Supreme Court’s final judgment, Patil said the order has allowed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to process pending environmental clearance applications, including that of the Vijayapura Airport project.
He said the Supreme Court bench comprising chief justice Surya Kant, justice Joymalya Bagchi and justice Vipul M Pancholi had resolved the uncertainty surrounding projects that commenced without prior environmental approval.
Patil said the state government has already submitted its application for environmental clearance. After the clearance is granted, DGCA officials will inspect the completed airport infrastructure and issue the necessary operational approvals, he added.
The minister said the state has invested more than Rs 614 crore in developing Vijayapura Airport. Once operational, the airport is expected to improve connectivity and boost economic activity in the Kittur Karnataka region and neighbouring areas.