The Hindu

• Land requirement for the project to be reduced 
• Land acquisition to begin after AAI submits its report
• Government to give land free to the AAI for developing the airport

Hubli, Jun 12: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will submit in a month a revised master plan for transforming the Hubli airport into an all-weather airport.

Addressing presspersons at the airport here on Saturday after holding discussions with AAI officials, Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar said the AAI would minimise land requirement in residential areas for the project.

"During the visit of K. Ramalingam, Regional Executive Director of the Airports Authority of India to Hubli last month, we appealed to the AAI to avoid including residential areas as far as possible, and it was decided that a joint survey would be conducted. Now the AAI team led by I.N. Murthy, Deputy General Manager (Planning), is undertaking a joint survey with officials of the Revenue Department since June 8, which will be completed on Saturday," the Minister said.

He said the Revenue Department would take steps for acquisition of land after the AAI submitted the revised master plan.

The State Government would give the land free to the AAI for developing the airport, Mr. Shettar added. Dharwad South MP Prahlad Joshi said that keeping in mind the expansion plans for the airport, the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation and Hubli-Dharwad Development Authority had been asked to stop giving permission for new layouts and buildings in areas surrounding the airport.

Deputy Commissioner M.S. Srikar said: "There will be a temporary ban on giving permission for construction of buildings in areas around the airport until the AAI submits the revised master plan, which will clearly spell out the exact land requirement and demarcate the areas where land is required."