The elected representatives from Dakshina Kannada district have decided to hold a meeting with the Chief Minister on the need for extending the length of the runway at Mangalore International Airport.

Chairing the quarterly meeting to review the performance of various development projects in the district, Ramanatha Rai, Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada, wanted to know the progress in the runway extension work at the airport.

AB Ibrahim, Deputy Commissioner of the district, informed the meeting that the present length of the runway is around 8,000 ft. The proposal is to extend it up to 13,000 ft.

Any further extension of the runway requires acquisition of around 190 acres of land in two villages near the airport. The cost of land acquisition and rehabilitation of the people affected by this work is estimated at around ₹121 crore.

Referring to the reply he got from the State government on land acquisition, Ivan D’Souza, Member of Legislative Council, said the minister concerned has expressed inability to pay the amount required for land acquisition. The minister had suggested that the Central government initiate the process.

He said that an airport is coming up at Kannur in neighbouring Kerala. In such a situation, any delay in the runway extension project would affect air traffic at Mangalore International Airport, he said.

JR Lobo, Member of Legislative Assembly of Mangalore South constituency, suggested that the work on the runway extension be taken up under the PPP (public-private partnership) mode. The extension of runway will help operate bigger aircraft from Mangalore airport to different destinations.

Rai said the elected representatives and other stakeholders from the district will soon hold a high-level meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru to discuss the issue.

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