Given that Maharashtra's pilgrimage tourism sector is significant, Kolhapur locals will soon be able to fly directly to Shirdi. At a review meeting on August 21, Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil suggested adding flights between Shirdi and Kolhapur.
The Kolhapur airport currently offers flights to Hyderabad, Tirupati, and Ahmedabad, but locals want the flights to Mumbai and Bengaluru to return as well.
"Kolhapur, also known as Dakshin Kashi, is establishing itself as a key pilgrimage destination not only in the state but also in the country," Vikhe Patil stated when assessing the administration's performance. Kolhapur is currently air-linked to four state capitals in addition to being connected to other cities throughout the nation by road and rail.
Currently, Kolhapur has air service to four state capitals. The flight service between Kolhapur and Tirupati is very popular. Future aviation service on the route between Shirdi and Kishangarh (Ajmer) may also receive favourable reception. He continued by saying that more and more followers of the goddess Ambabai and the Deccan ruler Jyotiba are travelling to Kolhapur every day.
The meeting was attended by the following people: Tehsildar Shital Mule, MP Dhananjay Mahadik, MP Darishsheel Mane, MLA Dr. Vinay Kore, collector Rahul Rekhawar, CEO Sanjay Singh Chavan, additional collector Kishore Pawar, resident deputy collector Dattatray Kavitake, sub divisional officers Vaibhav Navadkar, Amit Mali, Babasaheb Waghmode, and MP D
Additionally, Vikhe Patil said that the administration has received the required directives to support additional construction projects, such as an expanded air base.
An effort is being made to connect Shirdi with different places by air as a result of the growing traffic at the airport in Shirdi. He also promised that Kolhapur-Mumbai flight services would restart before Diwali during the conference.