The proposed airport project at Bidar is not yet cleared by the Airports Authority of India, but already the State government has released Rs 3 crore for the construction of temporary sheds at the site.
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa announced the release of the funds at Basava Kalyan, on his visit recently, responding to an appeal for the same by deputy commissioner Harsha Gupta.
However, not even the proposal for the temporary shed has been sent to the Airports Authority. The Chief Minister announced the sanction of funds without checking if the project was approved or not and the fund is already released.
The Defence has already given its approval, in principle, for utilising the Air Force runway at Bidar for the purpose of civil aviation. An appeal has been submitted to the Airports Authority of India requesting permission to construct civil enclave to provide facilities to travellers.
The authority had instructed the State government to sanction 150 acres of land and Rs 20 crore. The State government had released Rs 2 crore in the first phase and Rs 60 lakhs in the second phase for land acquisition. The acquisition process is on.
Temporary enclave
Meanwhile the district administration had sent a proposal to the authority to permit the first floor of the Housing Board shopping complex to be utilised as temporary enclave. It was made clear that it was a temporary arrangement in view of the devotees coming to attend the 300th commemoration function at Nanded, Maharashtra, in October, possibly coming to visit Guru Ta Gaddi at Bidar.
Responding to this, the Authority had instructed the Secretary, Infrastructure Development department, to fix a time to send a location examining team. The secretary had written to deputy commissioner of Bidar last May. However the basic infrastructure department has not been sent any reply so far.
When CM visited Basava Kalyana, Deputy Commissioner appealed for Rs 3 crore to construct temporary shed at Chidri and did not mention anything about converting the Housing Board shopping complex as temporary enclave.
The Authority has not yet given its approval for the construction of temporary shed at Chidri. It is surprising that the government has not realised that civil enclave construction has to be approved by the Authority. Neither the district administration nor the infrastructure department secretary has sent an alternate proposal to construct sheds at Chidri.
