Ramesh Jigajinagi, MP and former Union Minster, has said that the proposed airport will be constructed at Burnapur village in Vijayapura taluk in the district.
There was confusion after Public Works Minister Govind Karjol, who represents Mudhol in Bagalkot district, recently circulated a letter stating that he had urged the government to shift the project to the newly acquired land near Mulawad village in Vijayapura district.
“Let me make it clear here that the site for the airport will not shifted. It will come up at Burnapur village in Vijayapura taluk where over 700 acres have been set aside for the purpose. I have already conveyed this message to Mr. Karjol also,” he said here on Friday.
Mr. Jigajinagi also said that the work would start soon.
He also blamed the previous Congress government for not granting funds for levelling the land sought by the Airports Authority of India.
He also accused the private agency, which withdrew from the project, of demanding ₹100 crore to level the land. “The private agency which was not interested to take up the project created this misconception that this much money was needed,” he said.
He said that he has written to the Union government to take up the work on priority and complete it.
He also did not clarify whether the project would be completed by the government or by a private agency.
With regard to prevailing drought in the district, he said that he has written to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to take the necessary measures.
Mr. Jigajinagi, who belongs to the Dalit community, refused to respond to the recent incident in Pawgad taluk where Narayanaswamy, Chitradurga MP, who also belongs to Dalit community, was boycotted by people of the Golla community in Gollarahatti.
