Mysuru: After months of stalled progress, the long-awaited expansion of Mysore Airport at Mandakalli is finally set to take off.

The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the release of Rs. 100 crore to fast-track land acquisition and utility shifting — two major roadblocks that have grounded the project.

The decision, taken at a recent Cabinet meeting held at Male Mahadeshwara Hills in Chamarajanagar, will clear pending compensation payments to landowners and pave the way for extending the airport’s runway, which has been stuck in limbo for months.

Currently spread across 490 acres, the Airport requires an additional 46 acres for its first expansion phase.

The runway, which presently limits operations to ATR-72 aircraft on short-haul routes, will be extended from 1,740 metres to 2,750 metres, significantly boosting Mysuru’s aviation capacity.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had made it clear that the State Government must shoulder the costs of both land acquisition and utility shifting. A prolonged tussle between the State and Centre over funding delayed the project, but with utility shifting costs pegged at Rs. 101.82 crore — including Rs. 70 crore for diverting two ditches and seven canals and Rs. 31.82 crore for re-routing Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) high-tension lines — the State has finally stepped in.

Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh had earlier appealed to the AAI to cover capital expenses, but AAI Chairman Vipin Kumar cited the National Civil Aviation Policy, which mandates that land must be provided “free of cost and free from encumbrances” by the State.

With the stalemate broken, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar welcomed the Cabinet’s move, calling it a vital step toward unlocking Mysuru’s growth potential.

He announced plans to meet officials to ensure the speedy completion of formalities, emphasising that he had consistently raised the issue with both the Union Civil Aviation Minister and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

“Once the land transfer is complete, I will intensify efforts to push the Centre for comprehensive airport development,” Yaduveer said, highlighting his previous meetings with the Union Civil Aviation, Railway and Finance Ministers.

The MP also underscored that continuous coordination between the State and Centre has revived two major projects in Mysuru — the airport expansion and the proposed cricket stadium, both of which had been stuck in bureaucratic limbo for months.

With Cabinet approval now secured, stakeholders are hopeful that the Mysore Airport will soon be equipped to handle larger aircraft and meet the region’s growing demand for air connectivity.