Let State Come Up With Plan to Develop Mysore Airport: Minister.

Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju recently urged the state government to come up with an action plan to develop Mandakalli Airport.

He inspected the airport along with Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara, PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa and MP Pratap Simha.

'To develop the airport, we should either divert the national highway or go for tunnelling as an alternative, which involves a huge cost,' he added.

He said the state should help the Centre acquire land for expansion and divert the highway. 'If we go for a tunnel, it will have security concerns. These constraints need to be addressed by the state as the Centre alone cannot do it,' he said.

'There are two constraints; the national highway on one side and railway track on the other. It is not right to abandon the airport expansion midway as we have spent Rs. 80 crore on it,' he said.

He said he would speak to the Director General of Civil Aviation to examine the possibility of changing the schedule and operating flights through tier-2 and 3 cities from tier-1 cities.

He added that there is also a possibility of operating small aircraft from Mandakalli Airport so that connectivity does not slip. He said the state government should prepare an action plan involving the Centre, to enhance potential for tourism. Siddeshwara said he would convene a meeting in New Delhi on August 8 to discuss the issue of development of all airports in the state, including the one at Mandakalli. The state should reduce tax on air turbine fuel, he said.

Mahadevappa said the state government will consider both options and cooperate with the Union government.

The ongoing work on the widening of highway will continue, he said.


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS