BENGALURU: Even as the technical team from Airports Authority of India (AAI) inspected sites shortlisted by the Karnataka government, including Chudahalli and Somanahalli off Kanakapura Road, and along the Nelamangala-Kunigal Road, to set up a second international airport, senior Congress leader and Sira MLA TB Jayachandra continued to pitch for Sira as an ideal location.
Union Minister of State for Railways and Tumakuru MP V Somanna has also backed Jayachandra, saying Sira fits the bill.
“I agree with Jayachandra that it will be very beneficial if a second airport is set up in Sira in Tumakuru district. Thirty-four MLAs had given me a petition regarding the second airport. Jayachandra also gave me one and I have submitted them to Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu,” he told reporters in Tumakuru on Wednesday.
Along with Jayachandra, the state’s special representative in New Delhi, more than 30 MLAs opposed the government’s proposal to set up a second international airport at Kanakapura or Nelamangala, and have written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah pitching for Sira, and why it would be more beneficial.
The MLAs include D Shantanagowda, BR Patil, Nayana Motamma, BM Nagaraj, S Rajappa, Laxman Savadi, Hampanagouda Badarli, Anand KS, HD Thammaiah, Vinay Kulkarni, CS Nadagouda, Ganesh Hukkeri, Ashok Pattan, Suresh Gowda, among others.
Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara had also stated that AAI had rejected the proposal to set up the international airport at Bidadi, because of which Bengaluru International Airport was shifted to Devanahalli in the past. He has also been lobbying for a second international airport to be set up at Seebi, near Sira, off the Bengaluru-Pune NH-48, as it will help trade and industry with its proximity to the sprawling industrial estate of Vasantha Narasapura.
Why Sira?
Sira, around 120km from Bengaluru, is connected by rail and NH-48
Said to be gateway to Central Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka
Has a HAL helicopter facility. It is
Near Vasantha
Narasapura industrial estate
Japanese township to come up
International cricket stadium to be built by KSCA
Adequate water with irrigation facilities such as Yettinahole, Upper Bhadra, Hemavathy
Tumakuru-Rayadurga railway line to pass through
Could reduce traffic congestion in Bengaluru