Mandakalli Airport: Will it take off?

Being the second fastest growing city in the State, Mysore has a huge inflow of both tourists and businessmen on a daily basis. The time taken to travel to Mysore from major cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad etc. cause undue delay thus wasting time and money and also affecting business.
For such purposes, an airstrip was built on the outskirts of the city during 1940, with provision for landing of small aircraft. However, with the city growing in population and area, the need for a modernised airport providing inter-State connectivity is now more than ever. Keeping all the factors like tourism, economy, industry in mind, the Mandakalli airport is being modernised in two phases after many hitches and delays.
Mysore airport is one among the 32 non-operational airports in the country which is just using up the tax payers’ money. Hence it is imperative that the air operations are started as soon as possible.
Though the first phase was completed, the airport remains non-operational as bigger aircrafts cannot use the 1.74 km long runway. Even the air operators are hesitant to start their operations. The second phase of the airport development is slated to begin soon.
However, it remains to be seen if the airport will become functional after the second phase is completed.
At present, the airport is just sitting dormant, with all the facilities in place, waiting for a take off signal from the concerned aviation authorities.
The Weekend Star Supplement gives a comprehensive report on the airport project and the future plans to begin its operations.
Mysore, with the distinction of being a tourist paradise — with varied attractions like the palaces, Chamundi Hill etc. — and a cultural hub, has also been recognised by the Government of India as the numero uno among the 20 Tier II cities in the country for the promotion of IT industry. It is also said to be the second largest software exporter in the State.
With an ever-increasing population of 7.9 lakh, it has also been creating a record of sorts with its visitors in the form of tourists. With an annual influx of about 25 lakh tourists in 2006, the number has risen to more than 30 lakh now. With foreign tourist inflow being about 70,000 per year, the total tourist influx is said to reach about 50 lakh soon. Mysore Palace is said to be the second most popular tourist destination in the world after Madame Tussaud’s Museum in London attracting about 2.5 million visitors annually.
In this backdrop, there is an immediate necessity to make the non-operational airport at Mandakalli village near Mysore city an operative one. Industrialists, software giants and stakeholders in the tourism sector have been urging the State Government and the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to make the Mandakalli airport operational at the earliest.
First phase
The State Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Airport Authority of India in 2005 for the development of Mysore Airport. The AAI had placed a demand for 198 acres of land for the first phase of the airport deve-lopment out of which, 175 acres of land was handed over to the AAI upon acquisition at a total cost of Rs. 20 crore. Out of the remaining land, 23 acres from Mandakalli village side is yet to be handed over.
Facilities for the operation of ATR 72 aircrafts have been provided in the first phase. A runway of 1.74 kilometers and a taxiway of 1.35 meters were laid at a cost of Rs.30 crore to facilitate operation of both small and medium aircrafts.
Technical Block-cum-Control Tower, fire station, parking lot and electricity sub-station were built.
The State Government has agreed to provide free electricity, water, land and security for five years.
Additional land sought
The AAI has sought 310 acres of additional land for free, upon envisaging the operation of larger A-320 aircrafts after the completion of the second phase.
The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) was directed to acquire 229 acres and 5 guntas of land in Marase and Mandakalli villages. Out of this, 124.33 acres of land has been handed over to the AAI. Subsequently, 23 acres of land from the remaining 104.07 acres was transferred in the name of AAI. The Mandakalli Airport was earlier spread over an area of 248.03 acres of land. The total area of the airport now stands at 634.38 acres.
Compensation to land owners
The KIADB had released a total of Rs. 10,58,18,750 for granting compensation to land owners at the rate of Rs. 50 lakh per acre.
A total of Rs. 7.56 crore was given as compensation to 114.09 acres of land in Mandakalli village and another Rs. 2.55 crores was paid as compensation for another 36.29 acres of land at nearly Rs. 7 lakh per acre. Compensation is yet to be paid for 190.17 acres of land, for which the value has not yet been stipulated.
The land owners are now demanding a compen-sation of Rs. 50 lakh per acre of their cultivable land.
Major obstacles
It was proposed to extend the Mandakalli airport runway from the existing 1.74 kms stretch to 2.24 kms in the second phase of development. But the National Highway between Mysore and Ooty, proposed to be upgraded to four-lane road, is a major obstacle for the extension of the runway. Hence the AAI seeks to relocate the highway 2.5 kms to the east, for which more land needs to be acquired.
The Ministry of Surface Transport and Highways has already given its approval for the highway relocating project and it may cause a delay of nearly 18 months.
The government had also requested the Railways at the time of laying broad guage to shift it as the land was required for airport development. But the Railways did not accede.
Air operators
The air operators intending to include Mysore in their chart of flight destinations are demanding at least 28 per cent sales tax rebate on Air Turbine Fuel (ATF). They also seek an assurance of minimum 25 seats per flight from the Tourism Department as Mysore airport is a new venture for them and as they are not yet sure of the number air travellers to and from Mysore.
IT companies’ input
Since 2003, information technology companies have been creating bases in Mysore, with the city contributing more than Rs. 1100 crore to Karnataka's IT exports. Infosys has established one of the largest technical training centres in the world and Wipro has established its Global Service Management Center (GSMC) in Mysore.
Non-IT related services have been outsourced from other countries to companies in Mysore, thus making the city a business hub. If the airport becomes operational soon, it will benefit these companies and also the air operators.
Infosys sources claim that they have an average of 800 persons travelling to and from Mysore in a week, which is likely to increase to 1800 in a couple of years. Hence, the company, a major stakeholder, is eagerly looking forward to the commencement of air operations from the city.
Members of Co-ordination Committee MP H. Viswanath, M. Lakshmana of ACICM and others along with Vijay Mallya of Kingfisher Airlines, Indigo, Paramount Airlines, and the 16 stakeholders including Infosys Technologies, Mysore Industries Association, Institution of Engineers, Mysore Travel Agents' Association, Software Paradigms Infotech, Airport Authority of India, Air India, Larsen and Toubro, Mysore District Journalists' Association, etc. will hold a meeting with Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Jan. 25 to discuss the Mandakalli airport issue and fulfill the demands of private air operators.
In addition, there will be representation from the Ministry of Tourism to brief about the tourism potential and the traffic potential for airline industry.
The Co-ordination Committee will also appeal the government to fulfil the demands of private airlines to reduce the sales tax on aviation turbine fuel which is reckoned to be the highest in the country and give some concessions at least during the initial stages to encourage private players.
The committee members will generate statistics related to air traffic potential from Mysore based on frequent travels by the corporate and industrial representatives, while travel operators will provide them additional data on the number of people travelling by air to and from Mysore based on the sale of tickets.
Prashanth, President of Mysore Travel Agents' Association, speaking to SOM, has suggested direct flights between Mysore and other tourist destinations of the country like Goa, Kerala, Tirupati and Mangalore, which are frequented by foreign tourists, thus bringing more revenue through tourism.
Cricketers who visited Mysore during the recent Ranji finals were of the opinion that the Gangothri Glades ground was suitable even for international cricket because of its ideal pitch conditions, the only drawback being the lack of air-connectivity for the city.
As was said earlier, however, it is yet to be seen when the long-pending demand of the citizens of Mysore will be fulfilled. The Mandakalli Airport is almost ready. Will it ever take off?