Mysuru airport to be upgraded to international standards: MP

Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha said on Saturday that the Mysuru Airport at Mandakalli will be upgraded to international standards.

He was addressing a gathering during a trade meet and an interactive session on the proposed Multi Modal-Logistics Park (MMLP) at Kadkola in Mysuru taluk. The Container Corporation of India, Ministry of Railways had organised the event.

Simha said that the airport would be upgraded with additional facilities. "It will have a new terminal and the authorities are planning for cargo service. Tata Company has assured of establishing a Research and Development (R&D) unit, if the airport is upgraded to international standards," he said.

The MP said that the works on the Mysuru-Bengaluru 10-lane highway would be inaugurated in 2022 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited for the event. Funds to the tune of Rs 7,580 crore earmarked for the project, has been released, he added.

The proposed MMLP will be a boon for development in the region. Freight aggregation and distribution, multimodal freight transport, integrated storage and warehousing, information technology support and value-added services are the key features of MMLP.

India ranks 44th on the logistics performance index. There are certain challenges in the logistics sector, such as high costs, low efficiency, skewed modal mix, underdeveloped infrastructure, inefficient fleet mix, unskilled personnel and fragmented governance structure.

MMLP will create jobs for the local population with business centre facilities, refreshment and recreation facility, fuelling stations, truck repair shops, light engineering facility, security services and surveyor services.

Direct rail connectivity from hinterland to different ports and other parts of the country for transportation of containers will be provided. In addition, Inland Container Depot is needs as it will provide single window customs clearance for export-import (EXIM) containers, where filling of customs manifesto, bill of entry, shipping bills and other declarations, assessments and all activities related to clearance of goods will take place.

An officer said, certain initiatives such as rail sliding with two full-length rail lines, access to railway freight wagons, paved area of 25,000 square metre, two modern warehouses, administrative block, customs bonded area, empty container yard, approach road, canteen block, toilet block, weight bridge and gate complex have been planned at the MMLP.

The park is developed at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore, including Rs 55.09 crore for civil works.