K'taka Cabinet approves additional allocation of Rs 271 cr for Vijayapura 'Greenfield' Airport

Bengaluru, Sep 19 (PTI) Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil said on Friday that the state cabinet has approved an additional allocation of Rs 270.83 crore for the Vijayapura "Greenfield" Airport to facilitate operations of Airbus-320 type aircraft, night landing facilities, and other related infrastructure.

He explained that the cabinet, at its meeting on Thursday, discussed the proposal in detail before granting approval.

With this, the airport's total development cost will rise to Rs 618.75 crore. The escalation, Patil, who is also the Vijayapura district in-charge noted, stemmed from modifying the original design--intended only for ATR aircraft operations--to also accommodate Airbus-320 aircraft.

According to a statement issued by the Minister's Office, of the fresh allocation, Rs 65 crore has been earmarked for night-landing works, paved shoulders on both sides of the runway, and compensation for land acquisition.

Another Rs 52 crore will go towards developing an approach road linking Vijayapura Airport with National Highway-50. In addition, Rs 25 crore will be used to procure two ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting) vehicles along with equipment, it said.

"A further Rs 2.76 crore has been set aside for BDS (Baggage Detection System) equipment and Rs 13.09 crore for DVOR (Doppler VHF Omni-Directional Range) equipment procurement and installation," it added.

Patil clarified that these requirements, though essential, were not included in the original project approval.

According to him, the airport project is being periodically reviewed by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India. Their recommendations are being implemented in line with prescribed standards.

"To secure funding for the additional facilities, a revised proposal was submitted as early as February this year to the State-level Technical Advisory and Estimates Committee. After its approval, the proposal was placed before the cabinet," Patil said.

The minister stressed that the airport is being developed with a long-term vision, considering the industrial, economic, educational, and tourism prospects of Vijayapura and neighbouring districts. Once operational, the airport will serve as a vital link between Karnataka and North India, he added. PTI AMP KH