SHIVAMOGGA: If you ever happen to fly over Shivamogga once the construction of the airport is completed at Sogane near the city, don’t be surprised if the terminal building of the airport looks like a lotus, the party symbol of the BJP and India’s national flower.
The architecture of this public utility building is significant as top leaders -- Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and BJP national general secretary BL Santhosh – are either from the district or have strong links with it. Yediyurappa’s pocket borough is Shikaripur, Hosabale’s place of origin is Soraba and Santhosh has worked in the district for a long time promoting RSS ideology. RDPR Minister KS Eshwarappa and former Assembly Speaker DH Shanakaramurthy, who is with the BJP, too are from the district.
When a 3D blueprint of the project was released in front of the chief minister during his inspection at Sogane on Saturday, the video gave a clear picture of the proposed state-of-the-art airport. However, an aerial view of the terminal building resembled a lotus.
Sampath, an executive engineer (special division) of PWD in Shivamogga, told TNSE that the design was unveiled for the first time on Saturday and it is almost finalised. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has promised it would be the second biggest airport after Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. It is being constructed at an initial cost Rs 384 crore.