Flight operations at Shivamogga Airport likely from Aug 11

Bengaluru, July 14: Newly constructed Shivamoga Airport in Karnataka is likely to be operationalised from August 11 and all pending amenities in the Airport would be made available by July 20, state minister for Large Industries and Infrastructure Development, MB Patil, said on Thursday.

He instructed officials to ensure that all amenities at the Shivamogga airport should be ready by July 20 while chairing a progress review meeting of new airports in the state.

"Ambulance and other vehicles need to be arranged and a coffee cafe is required to be opened. Apart from these, some technical and non-technical staff need to be appointed. The airport should be ready for operations by July 20 and all the requirements should be fulfilled by then," the minister said at the meeting.

The Directorate of Civil Aviation has permitted Karnataka State Industries and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) to conduct the operation and maintenance of this airport, making it the first airport to be maintained by an institution of the state government, the minister informed.

If everything goes as per plan, the first flight from Bengaluru would land at Shivamogga airport on August 11. Prominent citizens, including people's representatives, will be invited to be part of the historic moment, Patil informed.

He also reviewed the progress of the ongoing work for the Vijayapura airport.

Voicing his misgivings over the airport not being provided with a night landing facility, the minister directed the officials concerned to introduce night landing facility at the airport.

"The original plan did not include the night landing facility. So far, about Rs 350 crore has been spent on the airport project and an additional Rs 12 crore will be required to introduce a night landing facility here. Runway work has been completed and all structure-related works will be done in three months. Simultaneously, installation of the equipment will be taken care of," he said.

The minister also reviewed the progress of ongoing airport projects at Hassan, Rayachuru and Karawara. He also held discussions on airstrips at Dharmasthala, Kodagu and Chikkamagalu, which were proposed in the recent state budget.

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External Affairs Minister Jaishankar meets Russian counterpart Lavrov in Saudi Arabia

News Network

September 9,2024

Riyadh: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Monday met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov here in the Saudi capital, days after President Vladimir Putin named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch over the Ukraine conflict.

Their interaction took place on the sidelines of the India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers' meeting. Both the ministers are in the Saudi capital to attend ministerial meetings of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

"Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a meeting with Foreign Minister of India @DrSJaishankar," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a post on X.

On Thursday, President Putin named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch over the Ukraine conflict and said they are sincerely making efforts to resolve it.

Speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Putin said, "If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that." His remarks came within two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Ukraine, where he held talks with President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"We respect our friends and partners, who, I believe, sincerely seek to resolve all issues surrounding this conflict, primarily China, Brazil and India. I constantly keep in touch with our colleagues on this issue,” Putin was quoted as saying by Russia's TASS news agency.

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov last week told the Izvestia daily that India could help in establishing a dialogue on Ukraine.

Underlining the existing "highly constructive, even friendly relations" between Modi and Putin, he said the Indian Prime Minister can "lead the line on getting first-hand information from the participants in this conflict," as he “freely communicates with Putin, with Zelenskyy, and with the Americans.” "This gives a great opportunity for India to throw its weight in world affairs, to use its influence that would drive the Americans and Ukrainians towards using a greater political will and entering the peaceful settlement track,” Peskov said.

He, however, said there are "no specific plans" for Modi to mediate on the issue.

"At this time they can hardly exist, as we do not see any preconditions for talks for now,” the Kremlin spokesman said.

Modi on August 23 visited Ukraine where he conveyed to President Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war and that India was ready to play an "active role" to restore peace in the region.

His nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister since its independence in 1991, came six weeks after he held summit talks with President Putin that triggered anguish in some Western countries.

In his talks with Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Modi said India was on the side of peace since the beginning of the conflict and he would even like to contribute personally to a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Jaishankar arrived in the Saudi capital Sunday on the first leg of his three-nation tour to attend the first India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers' meeting.

The GCC is an influential grouping, comprising the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. The total volume of India's trade with GCC countries stood at USD 184.46 billion in the financial year 2022-23.

From Riyadh, Jaishankar will travel to Germany where he will meet the German Foreign Minister as well as the leadership and other Ministers from the German government to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations. This will be his third bilateral visit to Berlin.

On the third and final leg of his trip, Jaishankar will visit Geneva.

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