Rift as 42 MLAs want Sira to house second Bengaluru airport

Bengaluru: Forty-two lawmakers cutting across party lines have signed a petition urging Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to set up Bengaluru’s second international airport at Sira in Tumakuru, about 120 km from here, in a campaign spearheaded by senior Congress leader TB Jayachandra who is opposing the locations shortlisted by his own government. 

The state government has finalised three locations for the capital city’s second airport: Two on Kanakapura Road near Harohalli and one on Kunigal Road in Nelamangala. An Airports Authority of India (AAI) team arrived Monday to inspect these sites. 

"By 2050, the population of Bengaluru will exceed three crore and the city will extend up to Sira, which is ideal for a second airport," Jayachandra, the Sira MLA, told DH. confirming that 42 MLAs have signed the petition to the CM.

Extolling Sira, Jayachandra said it is close to HAL's helicopter factory and the DRDO facility at Challakere in neighbouring Chitradurga. 

"The locations selected now don’t have water. In Sira, there's water from the Hemavathi river, the Bhadra river and the Yettinahole project," Jayachandra, Karnataka’s special representative in New Delhi, said. "Also, there's a restriction now on starting another airport in a 150-km radius from the existing Kempegowda airport. This 150-km radius ends right at Sira,” he said.

Jayachandra also said 6,000 acres of land is available at Sira for an international airport. 

Industries & Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil said he will convince Jayachandra that an international airport cannot come up in Sira. 

"We're talking about a second international airport for Bengaluru, not a district airport," Patil said. "We want to propose a district airport for the Tumakuru-Sira-Chitradurga region," he added. 

Patil also sought common sense. "If (Home Minister) G Parameshwara and I (residents of Sadashivanagar) want to fly to New Delhi, would we go to Sira?” he said. 

Potential investors in the second airport will look at the viability of the location, Patil stressed. "Ambanis, the Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL) or Tatas...they’ll look at viability," he said. "If we give them land in Sira, will they set up an international airport there?"

m b patil

Quote - Ambanis the Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL) or Tatas...they’ll look at viability. If we give them land in Sira will they set up an international airport there?

MB Patil Industries Minister

Quote - By 2050 the population of Bengaluru will exceed three crore and the city will extend up to Sira which is ideal for a second airport

TB Jayachandra Sira MLA

Cut-off box - International airport for North K'taka? 
Industries & Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil on Monday said the government will consider an international airport for North Karnataka. "There's a demand by Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi and others for an international airport between Belagavi and Hubballi. We will consider this" he said adding that it would help people in that region flying to America and Europe.