Mysuru: The land acquisition for the expansion of Mysore Airport runway at Mandakalli has begun and several acres have already been handed over to the Airports Authority of India. However, there are some stretches of land that are yet to be acquired and the expansion works will begin as soon as the State Government completes the land acquisition process, said Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, he said that Mysuru District Minister G.T. Devegowda had assured to speak to farmers surrounding the Airport land to part with their properties. “This process must be completed by the State Government and the works on runway expansion will begin immediately,” he said and added that the survey for the runway expansion has already been completed in July 2018.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Indian Air Force (IAF) will entirely fund the Airport expansion plan along with the land acquisition costs. The issue of compensation was stuck in the government level as there was a deadlock between the State and the Centre as to who will fund the project. Also, the State has issued a No Objection Certificate (NoC) to the IAF to develop the Airport after bearing all costs.

The IAF will set up a helicopter base near the Airport and also the IAF Helicopter Training Centre is likely to be shifted from Yelahanka in Bengaluru to Mysore Airport. The IAF has already conveyed to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy that it will develop the Mysore Airport on the lines of Airports in Pune, Chandigarh and Srinagar.

In its proposal, the IAF has stated that it will develop the Mysore Airport with its own costs and make available facilities for both civil and military use. This will considerably reduce the pressure on Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, the IAF said.