Bengaluru Airport sees strong growth in passenger traffic, no passengers at Bidar Airport
Bengaluru: The Kempegowda International Airport continued to witness strong passenger growth, with 1.02 crore passengers from April to June of this financial year, meaning overall passenger traffic has increased by 7.2 percent over the same period of the last fiscal year, according to the Air Traffic Report of the Airports Authority of India. Growth has largely come from international passengers, which grew by 20.3% this quarter.
The passenger figure across India was 99.54 million for the first quarter of this fiscal, which is a 7.1 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023-24.
While the Kempegowda International Airport recorded 95, 78,000 passengers in the first quarter, April-June saw an increase with 1, 02, 71,423 passengers, which includes 13,43,412 international passengers and 89,28,011 domestic flyers. Up till June the passenger traffic grew by 9.1% with 33, 21,878 travelers as compared to 30, 45,866 last year and domestic flyers witnessed a growth of 5.5%.
Belagavi airport, too, is on the rise with 93,087 passengers this quarter, 45.9 per cent more than the corresponding period last year. Mangaluru airport recorded 5,53,883 passengers against 4,62,590, a growth of 19.7 per cent.
Few airports like Mysuru recorded a decline in passanger count by 45.3% with with 23,475 flyers against 42,936 last year, Hubbali airport witnessed decrease of 25.5 per cent with 71,418 passengers against 95,809 last year and HAL airport dropped 28.4% to 3,653 passengers from 5,102. While Kalaburagi Airport recorded a 27.6% decline in the number of passenger, which is 10,713 from 14,802, the Bidar aiport saw no passenger this quarter, as against 5,396 the same period last year, with Star Air withdrawing its Bidar-Bengaluru operations.
The state's newest Shivamogga airport which was inaugurated in August 2023, recorded an increase in flyers with 21,326 passengers in its first quarter which went up to 6,227 passengers in June, which is a sign of gaining traction in the number of flyers.
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MP minister's veiled remark on Col Sofia Qureshi sparks major row; he apologises, Cong seeks ouster
Bhopal/Indore, May 13 (PTI): Madhya Pradesh Minister and BJP leader Vijay Shah has sparked a major controversy with objectionable comments that appeared to be directed at Col Sofia Qureshi, whom he tried to project as a "sister of terrorists."
Under severe flak, Shah said if anyone is hurt by his statement, he is ready to apologise ten times, adding that he respects Colonel Qureshi more than his sister.
The Congress has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Shah from the Madhya Pradesh cabinet.
Colonel Qureshi had conducted regular press briefings, sharing details of the 'Operation Sindoor' launched by Indian armed forces to strike terrorists, joined by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.
"Those people (terrorists) who had wiped out the sindoor (vermilion) of our sisters (in the Pahalgam terror attack)..We avenged these 'kate-pite' people by sending their sister to destroy them," Shah said.
"They (terrorists) killed our Hindu brothers by making them remove their clothes. PM Modi ji responded by sending their (terrorists') sister in an Army plane to strike them in their houses. They (terrorists) made our sisters widows, so Modiji sent the sister of their community to strip them and teach them a lesson", the BJP leader said while addressing a gathering in Ramkunda village near Indore.
He said, "Revenge was taken for the honour of our country (India), respect, and for the (slain) husbands of our sisters by sending a sister from your (terrorists') community to Pakistan".
The tribal welfare minister clarified that his remarks should not be construed otherwise.
Shah's remarks drew wide-scale condemnation, with Congress demanding his immediate dismissal from the MP cabinet.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said Shah, who made 'derogatory' remarks in reference to Colonel Sofia Qureshi, should be dismissed immediately.
"A minister of the BJP government of Madhya Pradesh has made a very derogatory, shameful and cheap remark about our brave daughter Colonel Sofia Qureshi. The terrorists of Pahalgam wanted to divide the country, but the country was united during the entire 'Operation Sindoor' to give a befitting reply to the terrorists," Kharge posted on X.
He alleged that the BJP-RSS harbours an anti-women mentality.
"First, the wife of the naval officer martyred in Pahalgam was trolled on social media, then the daughter of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was harassed, and now the BJP ministers are making such indecent comments about our brave woman Sophia Qureshi," Kharge said and appealed to PM Modi to immediately sack Shah.
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari shared the video of Shah on X and asked whether the BJP agrees with the minister's "low thinking"?
The MP Congress Committee alleged that Shah's "indecent' and hate-filled" statement is not just a personal attack, but an open attack on India's military dignity, national unity, and women's honour.
Amid the raging controversy, the BJP's Madhya Pradesh general secretary Hitanand Sharma summoned Shah to the state headquarters in Bhopal.
According to sources, Sharma reprimanded the minister, who also met the state BJP president, Vishnu Dutt Sharma.
Speaking to reporters, Shah sought to attribute the intemperate remarks to his "disturbed" state of mind in view of the brutal killing of innocent people in Pahalgam by terrorists.
He claimed many members of his family have a military background and many were martyred.
"Sister Sophia has brought glory to India by rising above caste and religion. She is more respected than our own sister. I salute her for her service to the nation.
"We cannot even think of insulting her in our dreams. Still, if my words have hurt society and religion, then I am ready to apologise ten times,'' he added.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Manoj Shukla and the party workers blackened the nameplate of Shah at his bungalow and raised slogans seeking his resignation.
'हमारी सेना की जांबाज बेटियां आतंकवादियों की बहन हैं'
— Congress (@INCIndia) May 13, 2025
- ये घटिया बात मध्य प्रदेश में BJP सरकार के मंत्री विजय शाह ने कही है।
भारत की जिन बेटियों पर सबको नाज है, उन बेटियों को लेकर ये शर्मनाक बयान दिया गया है। उन्हें आतंकवादियों की बहन बताया गया है।
ये हमारी पराक्रमी सेना का… pic.twitter.com/y591M3ky8G
