Mysuru MP Pratap Simmha on Monday urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to sanction ₹150 crore needed for shifting the utilities as part of the work to extend the runway at Mysuru airport.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Monday, Mr. Simmha said the work on the extension of the runway also requires shifting of utilities including irrigation canals and power lines of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) and Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL).
He hoped that Mr. Siddaramaiah, who also hails from Mysuru, will sanction the ₹150 crore needed for shifting the utilities.
With regard to the release of ₹43 crore announced in the recent Budget for extension of the runway, Mr. Simha pointed out that the cost of the entire project of extending the runway is more than ₹ 1,000 crore, which will be funded by the Centre. The project envisages construction of a new terminal building as well as goods terminal.
The runway, which presently 1,740 x 30 metres, will be expanded to 2,750 x 45 metres to accommodate larger aircraft of the size of A 320 that will facilitate long-haul flights. The runway extension project requires acquisition of 240 acres of land.
Pointing out that a total of ₹319 crore is needed for land acquisition, Mr. Simmha said the finance department’s approval for the land acquisition had been issued during the tenure of former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
As land acquisition is taken up in stages, the State government was releasing funds for the purpose from time to time. The announcement of ₹ 43 crore by Mr. Siddaramaiah in the recent Budget for land acquisition was one such instalment of funds for the purpose, he said.
