Land survey complete; process begins to hand over 140 acres in Kushalnagar

Kushalnagar: A year after the Karnataka Government proposed airstrips in Kodagu, Dharmasthala and Chikkamagaluru to boost tourism, industry and disaster management, plans for a mini airport in Kodagu’s Kushalnagar taluk are finally taking shape.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently reaffirmed in a social media post the State Government’s commitment to developing infrastructure projects, including the airstrip in Kodagu.

The Kodagu District Administration has identified 140 acres of Government land for the project, paving the way for its implementation.

The Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) has been designated as the nodal agency to oversee the development of airstrips  across Karnataka.

Land identified after initial hurdles

The original proposal targeted a 49.5-acre site near Sainik School, Kushalnagar, in Doddathoor village, bordering Basavanathoor. It included a 950-metre runway, terminal, security post, and fencing. However, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) deemed the land inadequate during an inspection, prompting a re-survey.

Subsequently, the District Administration identified 106 acres of unused land previously allocated to the Police Department for Arms and Police Training School at Adanipura near Hebbale Chikkaaluvara. An additional 34-acre adjacent Government land was also added, bringing the                      total to 140 acres.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Kodagu DC Venkat Raja confirmed that the land transfer process is well underway.

“The unused 106-acre Police Department land has been reallocated to KSIIDC (Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation) and alternative land can be provided to the Police Department for the training facility in case of future requirement,” he said and added that the airport is a priority and the formal RTC transfer request has been sent to the Revenue Department.

Future expansion feasible

The identified 140-acre site, shaped like an ‘L,’ is ideal for more than 1,000-metre runway and supporting infrastructure. If future expansion is needed, adjacent forest land could be acquired.

A minimum runway length of 1,200 meters and a width of 150 meters is essential to accommodate the landing of a 20-seater airplane. Additionally, the airstrip project requires a total of 140 acres of land for its complete infrastructure and operations.

Madhu, the Head of the Department (HoD) at the KSIIDC overseeing aviation infrastructure, acknowledged the earlier challenges in finding suitable land in Kodagu. “Uneven terrain and surrounding hills made previous sites unviable. The newly identified flat land meets our requirements and we are ready to begin project implementation,” he said.

Madhu confirmed that a technical team will conduct a site survey soon, followed by the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) once the land is formally transferred.

Kushalnagar Tahsildar Kiran Gowraiah and his team played a crucial role in identifying the site. The process began a year ago and has steadily progressed. Now, the Revenue Department has to secure a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the 106-acre transfer from the Police Department to KSIIDC and all necessary documents have been submitted in this regard.