Airport expansion likely to take off if state govt releases funds for land: MP Pratap Simha

Mysore Airport. DH File Photo

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha said that the works on the expansion of Mysuru Airport can take off in the next four to six months, if the state government releases funds for acquisition of the remaining land required.

Funds should be released for shifting of Cesc (Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation) lines, irrigation canals, clearance of horticulture and forest lands in the acquired land also, he said.

He held a meeting with the new Director of the airport J R Anoop, former director R Manjunath (who was relieved on Friday), KIADB (Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board) Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLO) V Priyadarshini and others, in Mysuru on Friday.

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Speaking to media persons, later, Simha said, "As per the initial plan, we need 240 acre of land for airport expansion. For that, we were supposed to acquire 209 acres of land, the rest is government land. The earlier BJP-led government had sanctioned Rs 319 crore for acquisition of 160 acres of land. If Rs 92 crore is released now, the process of acquisition of that 160 acres would be completed. The final notification of the remaining 46 acres is under process. Once it is done, the proposal would be sent to the state government for funds for the acquisition of that land also."

He added, "Initially, it was planned to extend the runway from 1,740 meter to 2,750 meter. But now, we plan to extend it to 3.5 km, considering the future growth of Mysuru. So, we need an additional 91 acres of land. KIADB has already done an assessment in this regard. The officials of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) would send a formal requisition to the KIADB. So, the state government should give funds for acquisition of that land too.".

Simha said, "As per the assessment done, Rs 68 crore is required to shift the Cesc lines and Rs 78 crore to shift irrigation department canals. Some funds are required to clear horticulture and forest lands too. So, the government must release over Rs 150 crore. This is as per the MoU (memorandum of understanding) signed between the government and AAI."

"The state government is supposed to give clear land to the AAI for Airport expansion. Later, the AAI will come up with a DPR (detailed project report) for the expansion of the Mysuru Airport and bear the cost of its construction," he added.

The existing runway can accommodate ATR flights with 72 seat capacity. With the extension of the runway, it can accommodate wider body aircrafts like 'Air bus 320', 'Boeing aircrafts 737, 747', 'Globemaster' national and international aircrafts with at least 180 seat capacity.

Meanwhile, Simha said, "Earlier, it was planned to have a tunnel (underpass) below the runway for NH-212 (Mysuru-Nanjangud Highway). But, in order to prevent issues of security and others in future, the plan is to divert NH-212 for 1 km near the airport."

"In order to divert it for seven km, additional land is needed. Meanwhile, preparation of DPR is under process to convert 23 km NH-212 from Nanjangud, from four lane to six lane, with service road. As agreed earlier, AAI will release Rs 510 crore meant for tunnel/underpass for NH-212 to NHAI. NHAI will bear the remaining cost of land acquisition and construction of the 7 km diversion of NH 212," he said.