• Land required: 240 acres | Acquired: 206 acres | Government land: 34 acres | Key bottleneck: 7 acres
• Seven-acre revenue layout land at Mandakalli vital for runway’s basic strip, says Airport Director

Mysore/Mysuru: Land acquisition for the much-awaited expansion of Mysore Airport at Mandakalli has gathered momentum, with key stakeholders reviewing progress and addressing bottlenecks. The Airport Development Authority meeting held at Airport Community Hall yesterday, chaired by Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, focused on securing land required for the Phase-1 runway expansion.

Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD), Airport Director P.V. Ushakumari, senior district and Police officials, and representatives from key Departments were present.

7-acre revenue layout

At the centre of discussions was the proposed extension of Runway 09/27 from the existing 1,740 metres x 30 metres to 2,300 metres x 45 metres, enabling operations of larger aircraft such as Airbus A-320 and Boeing 737.

However, a key hurdle remains in the form of a 7-acre Revenue Layout on the Mandakalli (North) side of the Airport.

Airport Director Ushakumari said, this parcel is crucial for the runway’s basic strip and issues related to it must be resolved before the land can be handed over to Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Taking note of the delay, the MP directed KIADB officials to address the issue at the earliest, warning that it could hamper overall progress. Both the MP and the MLA also instructed KIADB to expedite assessment and compensation for structures and trees on the acquired land to facilitate early handover to AAI.

The project requires a total of 240 acres of land. Officials said, 206 acres have already been acquired by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), with compensation fully disbursed                                              to landowners.

In disputed cases, the compensation amount has been deposited in the Court. The remaining 34 acres identified for the project is Government land.

NH-766 diversion plan

The meeting also reviewed progress on the proposed diversion of National Highway-766, which is essential for the runway extension. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has submitted the final alignment and draft Detailed Project Report (DPR), proposing a 3.5-km diversion.

The plan includes a 520-metre underground box tunnel, three canal box tunnels and a utility duct for power lines.

The revised project cost stands at Rs. 612 crore, an increase of Rs. 102 crore from the 2018 estimate. The AAI has maintained that NHAI must bear the additional cost, including land acquisition, as per the 2023 agreement. The NHAI Project Director said that issues related to cost escalation and land acquisition are under discussion and will be taken up with the NHAI headquarters in New Delhi for early resolution.

Safety clearances

Meanwhile, safety clearances are also progressing. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has initiated design-stage security vetting for the runway extension and associated tunnel works. State Police consent was sought on Apr. 7, 2026, for deployment at 12 tunnel entry and exit points.

Emphasising urgency, the MP and MLA directed all Departments to expedite land acquisition, compensation and shifting of utilities.

MP Yaduveer stressed that the DPR must be finalised without delay and said, discussions would be held with concerned Ministers to fast-track the transfer of remaining land. “We must move quickly and give shape to a long-term plan. Short-term flight operations are not our goal. We aim to establish permanent and reliable air connectivity with major cities,” he said.

ADC Aishwarya Aradhya, DCP (Law and Order) Dr. Harsha Priyamvada and members of the Airport Development Authority, including M.C. Mallikarjuna and Bhaskar Kalale, were also present.