Ude Belagavi ka Khaas Nagrik

by Satish Kumar

The people of Belagavi are known for their valor sacrifice and bravery because it’s in their blood and soul.

In the recent past even though, initially one of the MP denied that the shifting of airlines services in the garb of UDAN RCS to Hubballi Airport, and said that it wasn’t influenced by lobbying by cretin politicians of vested interest but though later acknowledging the same, maybe his soul has woken up with conscious and being put on some efforts after people from all walks of life such as industrialist business personalities, media, bloggers social figures, educationalists, Armed force veterans and NRI started asking questions for his relevance as an MP, no doubt for photo ops he stood first to wave flags when the flight arrived.

The effort worked out, and air services resumed by Alliance Air flights initially for three days a week to continue service with other destination to follow soon, serving only to Bengaluru as of now.

As the PAX load was never disputed even though had a good response of 65 landed and 60 passengers took off, despite bit odd timings as required by people of Belagavi for morning and evening flights for which as of now they are forced to travel 100 to 134 KMS to Hubbali or Goa airport.

A twitter campaign by Aequs CEO Mr. Arvind Melligeri proved some worth for this fight by name SaveIXG.

A citizens group on WhatsApp with the same name as Save IXG started working on many possibilities for full resumption of flights, and to highlight such social repercussion and impact of government policies such as UDAN scheme where it effects and closes a fully operational airport with ten flights a day to nil.

There are few individuals with full personal influence went and submitted requests from various governing bodies of Belagavi to Hon Union misters to show this impact and genuine cause.

Belagavi is a place for everyone, I being born in Punjab (Patiala) and settled here since 1986 Belagavi have everything from greenery to best climate, cordial people, educational facilities, and no doubt have seen the vast cosmopolitan mini India in making here, I believe this is the only place where most of the post-retirement personalities of armed forces love to make it their second home, over 25,000 families have settled in Pant Nagar extension near Airport alone, apart from numerous Defense colony in western parts of Hindalga and Ganeshpur in Belagavi this is the growing demography of Belagavi beside over 50,000 floating population accounts for Armed forces of Army Airforce and ITBP.

I thought started the topic with valor and ended to say about the flight services, just to highlight two historical links.

First being Veer Rani Kittur Channama, Karantiveer Sangolli Rayanna, and Regain of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Maratha rule influenced this place the valorous souls, and so is the headquarter of Maratha light infantry is based here.

The second reason is the historically first Airport of the entire north Karnataka region deserve better service to its people here, served country from World war II to Goa liberation.

We may not be Desh ka aam Nagrik as, UDAN says UDE DESH KA AAM NAGRIK.

We are Belagaviites, Belagavi Jana, Belgaonkars, “DESH KE KHAS NAGRIK” no doubt knock every next door in Belagavi you will find a man in uniform, the valor is in our blood bravery is our might.

This is a tribute to people of Belagavi and every individual who put an ample effort in the fight for the movement to resume air service and as we do not believe in beg and poach we believe in standing up for our rights. We believe in standing up for our rights and do not quit without the fight.