Karnataka Minister M B Patil
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Industries Minister M B Patil said that the state government was likely to receive a report from the Airport Authority of India (AAI) on the three locations shortlisted for second airport, within next two weeks.
Confirming this to DH, Patil said that the AAI had conducted an on-site feasibility study of the three locations — two adjacent land parcels on Kanakapura Road near Harohalli, spanning 4,800 acres and 5,000 acres,
and a 5,200-acre area on Kunigal Road near Nelamangala — in April and was scheduled to release the report in mid-July.
As per well-placed AAI sources, the report was submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on June 23, but is yet to be received by the Government of Karnataka, despite the industries minister meeting the Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to speed up the process.
The ministry is awaiting the environmental clearance to share the report, a senior AAI official told DH.
“After inspecting both the locations, Kanakapura and Nelamangala, it was found that both have a problem of waterlogging. This is not something alarming or new, as the entire city of Bengaluru is prone to waterlogging due to the abundance of waterbodies. Additionally, the proximity and elevation of the Bannerghatta Hill are also being taken into consideration,” the official said.
After weighing the pros and cons of the three locations provided by the GoK, the pros seem to be in favour of the Kanakapura side, he added.
“The two locations near Kanakapura are being considered as one land parcel, and the huge area, spanning across 9,000 acres, allows for more permutations and combinations to work with. This will add clarity to deal with environmental concerns. But it all depends on the decision of the Environment Ministry,” he added.
Once the report is released, the Government of Karnataka will find necessary solutions for all environmental concerns, said Patil.
“We will set up a committee to deal with such concerns, and also rope in a private consultancy firm equipped to deal with a major airport of this nature. Once we receive the report, we will look at all the concerns and prepare our own feasibility and viability reports, and only then choose the location purely based on merit,” he added.