Maharashtra cabinet approves resumption of flight services at Chipi airport in Sindhudurg: Rane

Mumbai, Aug 19 (PTI) The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved the resumption of flight operations at the Chipi airport in coastal Sindhudurg district, which had been non-operational due to technical issues, state minister Nitesh Rane said.

The decision is expected to boost tourism and connectivity in the Konkan region, he told reporters here.

The approval was granted during the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at Mantralaya.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Rane, who is Minister of Fisheries and Ports Development, said efforts were being made to restart services at the Chipi airport before the Ganesh festival that begins on August 27.

Services at this airport had been suspended for some time due to technical hurdles. Former chief minister and ex-Union minister Narayan Rane had followed up with the Centre to resolve the issue and obtained clearance to operate the airport under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme.

The resumption of Chipi airport will greatly benefit tourists from Maharashtra and elsewhere, the minister.

"With VGF in place, the long-pending issue of night landing facilities will also be resolved. This will finally pave the way for making the airport fully operational," he said.

The airport, located in Chipi village in Vengurla taluka of Sindhudurg district, was inaugurated in October 2021. PTI MR NP