28-05-2025
After 15 years, first commercial flight set to take off from the refurbished Solapur airport on June 9
Kolhapur: After a gap of roughly 15 years, the Solapur airport is resuming commercial flight operations with a new route to Goa starting June 9. Ticket bookings are currently available.
In Sept 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the fully refurbished Solapur airport. The facility has undergone extensive renovations costing Rs 60 crore. The upgraded terminal can now accommodate 150 passengers during peak hours and 4.1 lakh passengers yearly. The facility now boasts two check-in counters, expanded aircraft parking spaces, a new fire station, updated air traffic control, vehicle parking for 100 cars, complete LED illumination, and power-efficient systems.
Solapur district collector Kumar Ashirwad told TOI: "A Goa-based airline operator is starting the service to Goa four times a week — Monday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The bookings for the first flight are full. We are planning to expand the air services to Tirupati and Mumbai soon."
Security assessment exercises were conducted at the facility on Wednesday. The airport is a participant in the govt's UDAN-Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik initiative, designed to provide affordable air travel. The flight schedule shows departures from Goa at 7.20am, reaching Solapur at 8.30am on Mondays and Fridays, with a return flight after 20 minutes, landing in Goa at 10.05am. Weekend services leave Goa at 4.05pm, arrive in Solapur at 5.10pm, and return to Goa for a 6.50pm landing.
