**Policy Summary: Expansion of Runway at Kolhapur Airport and Direct Flights to Delhi**
On August 7, 2025, the Ministry of Civil Aviation addressed a question in Lok Sabha regarding the expansion of the runway at Kolhapur Airport and the commencement of direct flights from Kolhapur to Delhi.
Regarding the runway expansion, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) requires 65.71 acres of land from the State Government of Maharashtra to extend the runway to 2300 meters. As of August 7, 2025, AAI has taken possession of 22.12 acres. The commencement of the runway extension project is dependent on the State Government handing over the remaining land, free from all encumbrances, to AAI.
Concerning direct flights from Kolhapur to Delhi, the Ministry clarified that since the deregulation of Indian domestic aviation in March 1994 with the repeal of the Air Corporation Act, airlines have the autonomy to choose their routes and network based on operational and commercial viability, subject to compliance with Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDGs) and flight schedules approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Therefore, the introduction of air services to and from any airport in the country, including direct flights between Kolhapur and Delhi, rests with the airline operators.
Key Entities Referenced
Kolhapur Airport: Airport in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, planned for runway expansion.
Ministry of Civil Aviation: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of rules, regulations and policies relating to civil aviation in India.
Shri Shahu Shahaji Chhatrapati: Member of Lok Sabha who raised the question about the expansion of runway at Kolhapur Airport.
Shri Murlidhar Mohol: Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Airports Authority of India AAI: The organisation responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure in India.
State Government of Maharashtra: The government of the state of Maharashtra, responsible for handing over land for the Kolhapur Airport expansion.
Delhi: The city to which direct flights from Kolhapur are being requested.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation DGCA: Government body that approves flight schedules.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
Lok Sabha
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3213
( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7th August 2025 )
EXPANSION OF RUNWAY AT KOLHAPUR AIRPORT
3213. SHRI SHAHU SHAHAJI CHHATRAPATI
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION
be pleased to state:-
(a) whether the Government is planning to expand the runway at
Kolhapur Airport and if so, the details thereof; and
(b) the time by which the Government would start direct flights from
Kolhapur to Delhi in view of passenger demand therefrom?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)
(a): For extension of runway to 2300 meter at Kolhapur Airport, the
Airports Authority of India (AAI) has projected a land requirement of
65.71 acres to the State Government of Maharashtra. Out of the
total land requirement, 22.12 acre land has been taken over by AAI.
The commencement of the runway extension work is contingent
upon the handing over of the remaining land by the State
Government, free from all encumbrances, to AAI.
(b): With the repeal of Air Corporation Act in March 1994, the Indian
domestic aviation was deregulated. Airlines are free to induct
capacity with any aircraft type, free to select whatever markets and
network they wish to service and operate subject to the compliance
of Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDGs) issued by the Government and
flight schedules approved by the Directorate General of Civil
Aviation (DGCA). Hence, it is upto the airline operators to introduce
air services to / from any airport in the country depending on their
operational & commercial viability.******