The State government will soon float tenders for recommencement of the airport construction work in the city.
In reply to a query raised by K.B. Prasanna Kumar, Shivamogga MLA, in the recently concluded State legislature session, Minister R. Roshan Baig said the State government planned to implement the project in the public-private-partnership model.
The initial plan
The government in March 2007 had given its nod for construction of an airport near Sogane on the outskirts of the city, and had acquired 662 acres. Initially, the project was estimated to cost Rs. 194 crore. It was planned to construct a 3.1 km-long runway, a terminal building, and essential infrastructure to handle passengers and cargo.
The State had entered into a MoU with Shimoga Airport Developers Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture private firm that bagged the contract in December 2010. According to the MoU, the work was to be completed in 24 months. The work was suspended few months later owing to difference of opinion between the partners of the firm. As the firm failed to complete the work within the stipulated time, the State government cancelled the agreement in January 2015, and the work has been halted since.
Work incomplete
The work on a compound wall, drinking water connection, and runway remains incomplete. Meanwhile, a team of experts from the Airport Authority of India conducted a survey recently and recommended reducing the height of six chimneys of the industries in the industrial estate of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board, located adjacent to the project site, to ensure safe operation of aircrafts. In addition to this, it was recommended to shift an electricity line of 22 kV capacity that passes through the project site.
Following these developments, the State government had directed a private engineering firm to conduct a fresh survey of the project site. A team visited the site on December 16, 2015, and in its report submitted on December 31, 2015, the experts said that by changing the alignment of the runway, it was possible to ensure safe take-off and landing of flights.
Mr. Baig has said that based on the report, the State has decided to float tender for recommencement of work.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kumar told presspersons that the State in the 2016-17 budget had announced that the Shivamogga airport project would be completed. The State government has also assured that there would be no paucity of funds for the work, he added.
