Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Meeting to help clear airport project hurdles

By T.V. Sivanandan

GULBARGA, NOV. 4. Except for the final clearance for an interest-free loan of Rs. 350 crores from the State Government and the finalisation of the land lease agreement for 4,000 acres acquired for the construction of the proposed Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli, other clearances have been obtained for the much delayed project.

The Principal Secretary of the Infrastructure Department, Vinay Kumar, said clearance for the Rs. 350-crore loan, which was to be repaid in 10 years, and finalisation of the land lease agreement with the private consortium which would construct the airport were pending with the Finance Department.

The Minister for Industries, P.G.R. Sindhia, who holds the Infrastructure portfolio, had convened a high-level meeting in Bangalore on Saturday to review the progress of the project proposal, and it was expected to help clear hurdles. Mr. Kumar, who was here to inspect the site for an airport here, told The Hindu today that once the clearance for the loan was received and the agreement was finalised, the project proposal would be placed before the Cabinet for permission to begin work on the international airport. He said that during his recent visit to New Delhi, he had met senior officials of the Civil Aviation Department and the Airports Authority of India and they had given clearance for all matters related to the international airport project.

Mr. Kumar said construction of the international airport, in which the State Government would have 26 per cent stake and the private consortium the rest, was likely to begin soon after clearance was secured from the Finance Department.

He said night landing facility had been installed at the Hubli airport. Officials from the Meteorology Department had inspected the facilities. Final clearance was awaited from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Mysore airport

Mr. Kumar said the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Airports Authority of India had given clearance for the revival of the airport in Mysore. Studies conducted by the AAI had revealed that the airport was both financially and technically viable.

He said the Mysore airport, which was inaugurated in 1984, was closed down as it was found not viable. But now private airlines had evinced keen interest in operating flights from there. The Government had initiated measures to acquire additional land required to extend the runway and the landing area as per AAI specifications. Mr. Kumar said the AAI had cleared the proposal for building an airport here.

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Meeting to help clear airport project hurdles

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