PM Modi To Inaugurate Solapur Airport Tomorrow; Revamped To Serve Over 4 Lakh Passengers Annually

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate the Solapur Airport through video conferencing from Pune tomorrow (September 26). This will significantly improve connectivity, making Solapur more accessible to tourists, business travellers and investors.

"The existing terminal building has been revamped to have a total area of 1152 sqm to serve 150 passengers during peak hours and 4.1 lakh passengers annually. The terminal is equipped with required passenger facilities like two check-in counters, one baggage conveyor belt and sufficient concessionaire area. The city side area of the airport is developed for a parking of 100 cars," stated a press release.

"The artworks installed inside the terminal building are to glorify and showcase the rich art, architecture and culture of Solapur City. The paintings at different places showcasing the Lavani dance form, the images of various traditional musical instruments of Maharashtra and ‘Pandharpur Wari’ work are displayed to make the passengers informed and enchanted with the enriched cultural heritage, rooted tradition and religious beliefs of the city," it added.

₹64.95 crore have been spent on this project.

Reportedly, FLY91, the newest addition to India's aviation industry, which is a regional carrier seeking to enhance air connectivity from tier 2 and tier 3 towns across India, will be the service provider. This will reportedly start under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme. Besides, if the airline suffers a financial loss, the state government will compensate them for it. Moreover, the passengers are also going to be given a subsidy against the ticket.

Last week, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol reviewed the progress of Solapur Airport.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said that the work on the Solapur airport is in its final stages and that a review meeting regarding the project was held in New Delhi.

"During the meeting, various issues concerning the final phase of the airport's construction were discussed. A review of the work status and technical matters was also conducted," he added.

"UDAN-RCS (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik - Regional Connectivity Scheme) routes and airline operations were also discussed. Additionally, various issues were raised to initiate services on the Solapur-Goa, Solapur-Mumbai, and Solapur-Hyderabad routes. Efforts are moving quickly to make the airport operational at the earliest, and Solapur residents will soon have access to air services," the Pune MP further stated.