Bajpe airport development work to begin soon: Revanna

MANGALORE, DHNS:

The work to develop Bajpe Airport at cost of Rs 55 crore would begin shortly, Minister for Sericulture and Infrastructure Development H M Revanna said.

Addressing a press conference here, the minister said problems in this regard had been solved. Mr Shivanna said it had also been decided to upgrade the airport to international standards.

He said 190 acre of land was provided to Airport Development Authority earlier and it had demanded 140 acre in the next phase. Problems to provide 140 acre of land has been resolved now, he added.

Mr Revanna said the work would be taken up at a cost of Rs 55 crore. The tender of the work would be opened on February 10 and the Airport Development Authority�s request to connect the four-lane road from Mangalore to the Bajpe airport to a new terminal has also been approved. The minister said the work to convert Hassan-Mangalore railway track was on and the chief minister has discussed the issue with the Union minister. The State government has come forward to provide Rs 45 crore for the purpose and it has released Rs 18 crore, he added.

Measures have been taken to construct 40 over bridges in this amount and the funds required for the construction of under bridges would be released, Mr Revanna said. Earlier, the minister discussed the problems related to extension of airport in a meeting held with airport officials and representatives of Airport Commuters' Association.

Transport Minister B Ramanath Rai,Veerappa Moily, MLA Yogeshwar Bhat, DC Arvind Srivastava, Airport Director Vasudeva were present in the meeting.