On Wednesday, the Maharashtra government issued the order to release Rs 52.70 crore funds for the land acquisition process to be carried out for the Kolhapur airport expansion. Vice-chairman and managing director of the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), Deepak Kapoor, told the media that the company received the State Govt order releasing Rs 52.70 CR for the land acquisition of Kolhapur Airport. This will significantly help in expediting the Kolhapur Airport expansion work. In April, the state government allotted Rs 212.25 crore for the land acquisition process. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting conducted by Maharashtra chief secretary Manukumar Shrivastav. Land measuring 25.91 hectares is to be acquired to carry out the expansion works of the airport. Kolhapur airport director, Kamal Katariya, told the media that for the runway expansion the land acquisition is very essential. A frequent flyer from Kolhapur, Sandeep Shinde, told the media that’s great news for the whole of South Maharashtra, fully operational Kolhapur airport is needed for the overall development of the South MH Sangli- Karad- Satara- Kolhapur- belt. Training school at the current karad airport is another good decision. Kolhapur district is developing in terms of tourism, art, trade, education, culture, technology, and agriculture with new opportunities opening up, and the airport expansion will give an augmentation to the development ahead. Direct flight service from Kolhapur airport is catering to Tirupati, Mumbai, and Hyderabad currently. IndiGo airlines resumed the Kolhapur-Ahmedabad flight service thrice a week from June 3. Image Source Also read: Airport expansion work in Thoothukudi to be completed by Sept 2023