Non availability of enough land stalls airstrip project in Dharmasthala

Mangaluru: Plans to develop an airstrip in Dharmasthala have stalled due to insufficient land availability. The Dakshina Kannada district administration had initially identified land in Kalmanja and Laila villages to construct the airstrip, aiming to boost tourism, particularly for pilgrims.

In August 2022, then Minister for Housing and Infrastructure Development V Somanna at a programme in Dharmasthala had announced developing an airstrip, to help the devotees visiting the well-known place of worship. Later, in July 2023 in a budget speech in the Assembly, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said that the state government will be developing airstrips in Dharmasthala with an intention to promote tourism, industrial sector and to aid disaster management.

However, the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) found the land identified inadequate for the project's requirements. As a result, the government has directed the district administration to search for alternative land.

M B Patil, minister for large and medium industries, in his reply to a question raised by Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja during the Belagavi session had said that a minimum of 140-acre land is required for developing an airstrip. A KSIIDC technical team inspected the initially proposed land but found it lacking. Consequently, the corporation, in letters dated August 3, 2023, November 21, 2023, and September 6, 2024, requested the district administration to identify and report on alternative land.

Minister Patil added that feasibility studies and other reports would commence once suitable land is identified. Approval processes for the airstrip project will be taken up after the submission of the land availability report.