NEWS
Even as the launch of Mysore airport remains in a limbo, the state government has moved to develop a Greenfield airport near the historical city of Bijapur within two years. Designed initially for airplanes like ATR 72 or ATR 42, the airport will boost industrialisation and tourism in north Karnataka, Infrastructure and Tourism Minister Janardhan Reddy said after signing the MoU with Chennai-based MARG, an infrastructure development company. MARG will invest Rs 200 crore in this public-private partnership project and the government will provide 727 acres of land. The term of agreement will be for 30 years to design, develop, operate and manage the airport. In addition to the terminal buildings, runways and control tower, MARG will also build utilities necessary to serve the airport during the operational phase.

VIEWS
Acknowledged to be in the forefront of aviation both in respect of the aerospace industry and civil aviation, in the boom years of the airline industry, that is, around 2006, Karnataka announced plans to develop 10 airports, 13 airstrips and 28 heliports in the state over three years in an effort to enhance air connectivity amongst Tier II and Tier III cities as also all remote areas in all districts. The aim was to stimulate uniform economic development across the state. However, a review four years later indicates partial success.

Various limitations notwithstanding, Bangalore International Airport by all standards has been a major success story. The state government, however, had only a minor role to play in the airport project itself. On its part it has faulted on its major responsibility to provide high speed rail or road connectivity as yet. Mangalore airport has been upgraded successfully to an international airport currently providing connectivity primarily to the Middle East. It is understood that there are plans to operate flights to the South East Asian region in the near future. However, the situation with regard to the development of other airports in the state has not been very inspiring.

Mysore, expected to be the next booming city of Karnataka with an annual tourist inflow of over three million, has the potential to enhance air passenger traffic substantially through direct international flights. Besides, Mysore boasts of a large number of institutions of higher learning and is fast emerging as an information technology hub. But the city is yet to have an operational international airport as planned. Although the runway and terminal building are in place, some of the supporting infrastructure is yet to be created. Development of new airfields at Shimoga and Gulbarga contracted to Maytas Infra Consortium ran into trouble in the wake of the scam involving the Hyderabad-based parent company, Satyam.