Maharashtra's 14th, The Sindhudurg Airport Opens This Week

Tucked inside western part of Maharashtra, the Sindhudurg district, near the state&rsquos border with Karnataka and Goa, is a picturesque corner and a key economic zone. The district takes its name from the Sindhudurg or the &lsquosea fort&rsquo built by the famous Marathi ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji in the 17^th century. Now the opening of a new airport at Chipi will enhance the region&rsquos connectivity with state capital Mumbai and other key cities in the region.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu and Maharashtra&rsquos Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on March 5, 2019, will inaugurate the new terminal building and associated works of the airport located at Chipi.

This greenfield airport has been set up at a cost of Rs 520 crore and is the 14^th airport in the state.

The terminal building has a capacity to handle 400 passengers per hour. Flight operations from the airport (under UDAN scheme) will commence soon.

Routes connecting Sindhudurg to Pune, Mumbai and Nashik have already been approved under UDAN 3.1 and bids from airlines have been invited, according to news reports.

The media also reported that the state government has plans to start a fishing industry, alongside a horticulture cargo hub in the Sindhudurg region. Besides, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation has approved Rs 65 crore to start a submarine adventure for tourist, which would be the first of its kind in the country.