BENGALURU: A team of officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will visit Bengaluru between April 7 and 9 for a feasibility study of three locations identified for the second international greenfield airport.
Minister for Industries and Infrastructure Development MB Patil told reporters on Saturday that Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) has paid a fee of Rs 1.21 crore to the authority. Two locations on Kanakapura Road and one on Nelamangala-Kunigal Road have been identified for the airport project.
He said that his department wrote to the AAI on March 5, requesting it to inspect the locations identified for the proposed airport. The department has prepared all documents and obtained revenue maps of the locations identified, 10 years’ weather reports, and maps from the Survey of India as per the directive of the AAI.
Stating that there is immense pressure on KIA, Patil said the condition that no second airport should be built within a radius of 150 km from KIA will end by 2033. Keeping this in mind, the process for the second airport has been started and if things go as planned, it could be ready for use by 2033, he added.
The minister said that a proposal for the airport near Sira in Tumakuru is not feasible. “If the proposed airport is built in Sira, it will be just like airports in Shivamogga and Vijayapura. To serve the people of Bengaluru, the airport must be close to the city. Only then will investors be interested in constructing the airport. Without this, the project will not be feasible,” he said.
Patil said Baldota Group is planning to set up a large-scale steel manufacturing plant in Koppal at a cost of Rs 54,000 crore. Expressing apprehension over pollution by the proposed steel plant, a protest has been launched by the head of Gavimath. A study will be conducted by an independent agency and action will be taken based on its report.