Devanahalli airport will be ready in 33 months

Devanahalli airport will be ready in 33 months

The Hindu

BANGALORE: The international airport at Devanahalli will be operational in 33 months, according to Agriculture Minister Srinivasa Gowda.

Addressing members of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FKCCI) here on Thursday, Mr. Srinivasa Gowda said the Government has given 1,650 hectares of land for the project.

The contract to build the airport has been awarded to a consortium led by Siemens group (it has 40 per cent share) partnered by the ZAA and Larsen and Toubro (17 per cent share each). The Karnataka Government and the Airports Authority of India hold 13 per cent each.

When ready, the new airport is expected to handle 40 lakh passengers a year. This includes about 10 lakh international commuters. It is expected to carry 1,30,000 tonnes of cargo annually. ICICI Bank is the lead financier of the project.

The Minister said the State Government has taken the initiative to build a mega hardware technology park near the airport.

He said small airports will come up in Mysore, Gulbarga, Hassan, Bijapur, Bellary and Karwar. They will provide air connectivity to secondary cities and potential industrial and tourist destinations. The expansion work at Mangalore Airport is nearing completion, he said.

The Minister said the State has taken measures to improve power situation and Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. will add 3,300 MW to the State's grid in five years.