The construction of a greenfield domestic airport at Boovanahalli near Hassan has turned into a controversy with former Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Revanna opposing the way the project is being implemented. He wanted it to be executed as it was planned originally about 14 years ago, while Hassan MLA Preetham Gowda of the BJP wants execution of the project with minimum use of land, considering the experts’ opinion.
The State Cabinet cleared the project with an estimated cost of ₹196 crore. It has been a long-pending project. The foundation stone was laid in 2007 when H.D.Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister. Then, it was planned as a mega project with a total investment of ₹ 1,200 crore. The project included a golf course, and hospitality facilities, besides the airport.
Then, the land required for the project was estimated at 1,194.15 acres. Over the years, the government acquired 536 acres and handed it over to the private promoter, who had taken up the project on a public-private partnership model. The process for acquisition of another 446 acres was on. The firm refused to take up the project unless the total quantum of land required was handed over. During the JD(S)-Congress rule in 2018, the State government cancelled the understanding with the private party.
Mr. Revanna, speaking to presspersons in Hassan, recently said the government was making efforts to build the airport within the available 536 acres and denotify the rest. “If the government is committed to implement the project, it should take it up as per the original plan. Otherwise, it should drop it. We will build the airport, whenever we come to power with the blessings of people”, he said. He also said the party would stage a dharna in front of the Chief Minister’s residence on July 22, if the government did not take a stand on the issue before that.
However, BJP MLA Preetham Gowda has opposed Mr. Revanna’s argument. The airport would be designed as per the advice of experts. “We have an international airport at Bengaluru, about three-hour journey from Hassan, and another airport at Mysuru, about a two-hour journey from Hassan. Mr. Revanna is a legislator, not an expert to suggest how the project should be”, he said. Further, he maintained that the people of Hassan did not need a golf course. He also supported the idea of denotification of the land.
