Mysuru MP Pratap Simha met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru on Sunday and urged him to make the financial allocations necessary for expansion of Mysuru airport and renovation of K.R. Hospital, Cheluvamba Hospital and PKTB Hospital in the city.
The Chief Minister is reported to have assured Mr. Simha to consider allocation of funds for the airport project as well as for renovation of the hospital buildings, which come under the purview of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI).
In a letter to the Chief Minister on January 10, 2022, Mr Simha had pointed out that a total of 240 acres of land was required for expanding the Mysuru airport by extending the existing runway to facilitate operation of large sized aircraft from the airport. Out of this, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) had identified 115 acres that needs to be acquired immediately for the project. But, the proposal was pending before the Finance Department.
Hence, he urged Mr Bommai to accord financial approval for the proposal and take necessary steps for release of funds required for land acquisition.
The Mysuru airport needs to be expanded in view of the increase in frequency of flights and passenger traffic from Mysuru ever since Udan, the Government of India’s regional air connectivity scheme was launched.
The facility of long-distance flights can be extended to passengers from Mysuru by operating large sized aircraft in the coming days if the airport is expanded by extending the runway, the MP argued.
Meanwhile, the issue relating to extension of the runway at Mysuru airport also figured in the meeting Minister for Co-operation and Mysuru district in charge Minister S T Somashekar held with senior officials of the district administration in the City on Sunday.
Renovation of hospitals
Mr. Pratap Simha, in a separate letter to the Chief Minister dated February 2, 2022, had emphasized the need for renovation of the buildings housing K.R. Hospital, Cheluvamba Hospital and PKTB Hospital that came under the jurisdiction of MMC&RI.
The hospitals catered to a large number of patients not only from Mysuru, but also from the neighbouring districts. A proposal to renovate buildings at a cost of ₹85.98 crore was pending before the State Government, he said before requesting the Chief Minister to accord administrative approval for the proposal and release the necessary funds.
