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Four greenfield airports to be developed in Karnataka

Special Correspondent

State to develop major railway projects also

Bangalore: Karnataka's infrastructure policy looks at building or expanding several airports, four of them greenfield projects where private participation is invited, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development, V.P. Baligar said here on Saturday.

"We have also approached the Defence Ministry for the use by commercial flights the Bidar airfield, which is under control of the Indian Air Force, and that at Karwar under the Indian Navy," he told an interactive meeting with representatives of district chambers of commerce organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry to discuss infrastructure-industry issues. The four greenfield airports have been planned in Gulbarga, Hassan, Shimoga and Bijapur. On the new international airport near Bangalore, Mr. Baligar said the initial projection of eight million passengers a year had to be revised to 11 million and the cost might increase from Rs. 1,432 crore to at least Rs. 2,000 crore. The Bangalore International Airport Ltd had been asked to plan for an expanded second phase, soon after the first phase becomes operational in 2008, he said.

Upgradation of airports include those at Mangalore, getting over the litigation about land for Mysore airport, and enhancing facilities at Belgaum, Hubli and Bellary airports have proceeded beyond the planning stage

He said the State Government was closely involved in major railway projects. These include the Belgaum-Gadag- Bagalkot line, where Karnataka is sharing the cost; the Mahabubnagar-Munirabad rail link and a direct link between Bidar and Gulbarga.

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