Chennai company gets Bellary airport contract

Cabinet approves the project to be taken up on BOT basis

The State Cabinet on Thursday gave its assent for Chennai-based Marg Ltd to take up construction of the airport on the build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.The airport, located along the Sangankal-Moka Road in Bellary, is expected to be operational in two-and-a-half years from now.

The firm was selected for the project through a global tender floated by the Department of Infrastructure Development. This is the company’s second airport project in Karnataka, the first one being Bijapur airport. Home Minister V S Acharya said the State Government acquired the land which was identified by the Airport Authority of India as suitable for the project.

The project was opposed by farmers whose land was identified for the project. They had also taken a padayatra from Bellary to Bangalore opposing acquisition of farmers’ land for the project.

900 acres acquired

The Government succeeded in acquiring about 900 acres of land, notified for the project after convincing the farmers. The landlosers received cash varying from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 16 lakh per acre.

V Madhu, Principal Secretary (Infrastructure Development) said  the concessionaire has to engage a consultant to work out the master plan of the airport and get clearances from Civil Aviation Ministry, Union Home Ministry, Defence Ministry and Department of Environment and Forests.

“The company needs at least six months to prepare the master plan and get clearance from various departments. The Government has stipulated the construction period at 24 months,” he said.

ITI colleges

The State Cabinet has adopted the student-based incentive programme to strengthen private Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). Acharya said the Government would provide financial grant of Rs 6,000 per student admitted to private colleges.

The institutes had to maintain 80 per cent of attendance of students, the results in examination should not be below 60 per cent and the teaching staff should get the salary recommended by the Government. The programme would benefit 964 institutes. The Government had reserved Rs 50 crore for the grants.

PG centres

The Government, with an intention to promote studies in basic science, has decided to support select post-graduation centres of science in the State universities financially.

Acharya said 30 post-graduation centres would get Rs 10 lakh each, while 10 others would receive Rs 20 lakh each. The funds would be utilised to strengthen laboratory and set up cold storage units necessary to conduct researches.

The minister said the Government decided to strengthen the centres following recommendations by a Committee headed by veteran scientist C N R Rao.

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n Rs 57.96 crore for drinking water supply to 20 villages between Channagiri and Malladihalli

Bellary airport

- Project cost - Rs 110 crore
- Total land - 900 acres
- Initial capacity - To accommodate ATR 72
- Capacity to be expanded to accommodate - Air bus 320
- Construction period - 24 months