Hosur to soon commence air operations as Bengaluru airport gives its nod

The Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) has agreed to give a No-Objection Certificate to Hosur Airport, thereby making it ready to be operational under the UDAN Scheme.

According to reports, the Hosur Airport, maintained by the Pune-based Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Limited (TAAL), will be connected to Chennai by 70-seater planes operated by Turbo Aviation. The NOC was necessary as BIAL and the Civil Aviation Ministry has an agreement in place that no airport would be allowed to function within 150 km of its premises for 25 years from the date of its opening.

Hosur was selected as a centre for connectivity under the first phase of UDAN scheme in 2017.

In June, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to ensure that BIAL gives its nod to begin flight operations from Hosur. The reason behind writing to the ministry was because Tamil Nadu felt that BIAL was hesitating to give an NOC since it feared its commercial operations would be affected once Hosur becomes operational. Hosur airport will be closer to those coming from Electronic City and other locations in South Bengaluru than BIAL, which is two hours away by road.

Noting that Hosur is a major industrial hub in Krishnagiri district, the Chief Minister, in his letter, also pushed for putting Neyveli and Ramanathapuram on the commercial aviation map. Apart from Hosur, Vellore and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu will commence air operations soon under the UDAN scheme. 

It has also been reported that BIAL in its NOC is trying to add a condition that only aircrafts under the UDAN scheme be operating from Hosur Airport.

Situated in Belagondapalli village on the Thally road, Hosur airport will just be a 30-minute travel by road from Electronic City in Bangalore.