Mysore Airport runway expansion: DPR ready for 500 mts tunnel under runway

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security conducts preliminary review: Airport Director

Mysore/Mysuru: The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the expansion of Mysore Airport at Mandakalli has been finalised and is awaiting formal approval, according to Airport Director P.V. Ushakumari.

One of the biggest challenges in the project is the intersection of the proposed runway extension with the existing Mysuru-Nanjangud National Highway. To address this, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed constructing an underground tunnel for Highway traffic.

The matter was discussed at the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) Meeting held at the Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Hall, chaired by Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy yesterday.

An earlier DPR had proposed extending the runway by constructing an underpass for Highway traffic and building the runway above it. However, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) raised safety concerns and proposal was dropped. A revised plan has now been prepared for a 3-km bypass with a 500-metre tunnel section beneath the Airport runway. The DPR is currently awaiting final approval.

Cost escalation

Deputy Commissioner (DC) G. Lakshmikanth Reddy informed the Committee that land acquisition for the project is almost complete, with only the transfer of compensation to landowners pending.

He added that about 7 acres of revenue land, currently in a residential layout, will be acquired shortly. “There are no other major hurdles in the project,” he said.

The cost of the 3-km Highway diversion was initially estimated at Rs. 500 crore but has now risen to Rs. 600 crore. The additional Rs. 100 crore has led to uncertainty over whether the NHAI or the AAI will bear the expense, the DC noted.

AAI to contribute Rs. 510 crore

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Ushakumari said, the National Highway will be diverted, with an underground stretch of around 3-km to facilitate the runway expansion.

“The AAI has agreed to contribute Rs. 510 crore towards construction. The NHAI will have to bear the cost of land acquisition, including land required for the Highway and service  roads,” she said.

“The project is now awaiting security clearance. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has conducted a preliminary review and an Expert Committee will be formed for final approval. One of the conditions is that the tunnels at both ends must be manned round the clock by the State Police for security purposes. The local administration has written to the Superintendent of Police (SP) regarding this manpower requirement and is awaiting a reply,” the Airport Director added.

Red Zone and implications

Ushakumari also informed the Committee that the AAI has issued a public advisory cautioning against unauthorised constructions in the ‘Red Zone’ around Mysore Airport, where strict height restrictions apply.

According to the Government of India Gazette Notification GSR 751(E), any construction within a 56-km radius of the airport requires prior height clearance.

Those planning to put up buildings or structures must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) through the online NOCAS (No Objection Certificate Application System) portal before starting work.

Responding to this, DC Lakshmikanth Reddy said, the Kadakola Town Panchayat and Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) have been instructed to grant building permissions strictly in accordance with AAI guidelines.

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar expressed concern that the preliminary safety inspection report for the Mysuru-Nanjangud Highway tunnel has not been received even after six months, stressing that safety must remain the top priority in the project.