MEETING ON UPGRDAING MYSORE AIRPORT
ENARADA, Mysore, July 8, 2013:
A meeting to discuss about upgrading the Mandakalli Airport in Mysore to international level was convened by Deputy Commissioner Dr. Ramegowda at his office. The DC issued instructions to various departments to make preparations for the airport’s upgrading works.
The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) officials were instructed to acquire additional land notified for extending the airport and its runway, the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company (CESC) officials were told to remove or shift the electricity lines in the area marked for airport’s extension while Forest Department officials were told to erect a chain-link fence along the airport’s extended area to prevent wild boars, foxes and stray dogs from entering the airport area.
The length of the runway at present is 75 metres, on an area of 23 acres. In order to upgrade the airport to international level, the runway has to be extended by another 75 metres. Accordingly, the KIADB officials were instructed to acquire 174 acres, 145 acres and 23 acres in the first three phases.
However, the hitch here is the price of land in the village abutting the airport. A few years ago, when land was being acquired for the airport, the price of land was hiked from Rs. 25 lakh per acre to Rs. 50 lakh, allegedly with an ulterior motive. Based on this, the farmers are demanding the same price now, which the government is not willing to pay pointing out that land value in the neighboring area is Rs. 25 lakh.
Meanwhile, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will be told not to carry out the four-lane road work, the DC said. Regarding the Mysore-Nanjangud road development into four-lane, the DC said that the NHAI will be urged to take the road around the runway area in a loop from APMC to Kadakola.
The meeting also resolved to dispose of the garbage in the Sewage Farm nearby in a scientific manner as the slaughter-house waste dumped there attracted scavenger birds which might endanger the flights.
It was also decided to hand over the garbage disposal task within the airport to the Mysore City Corporation as the Mandakalli Gram Panchayat, which had been carrying out this job, was found to be inefficient.
Mandakalli Airport Director Manjunath, CESC Chief Engineer M. Shanthi and other officials were present.
