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Ananth Kumar asks Tatas, Karnataka govt to expedite airport project study

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ananth Kumar today said that the Centre had agreed in principle for setting up the much-delayed international airport near Devanahalli and wanted Tata Consortium and the Karnataka government to complete the 're-feasibility' study within a fixed time schedule.

The Centre had agreed to almost all the points raised by Tata Consortium and was even ready to share the traffic to make the project viable, he said while inaugurating the 81st annual general meeting of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Bangalore.

He also called for a "research triangle", a link between industry, research institutions and the government for better utilisation of the resources. Bangalore was ideally suited for such a venture with a host of research institutions and industries.

He said a Rs 600 million exhibition centre on the lines of the Pragathi Maidan in New Delhi would come up in Whitefield near Bangalore and a flower and horticultural products auction centre would be built in the city at a cost of Rs 200 million. Both the projects would commence in February.

Having a dig at the J H Patel government, he said the state should not be complacent and create better infrastructure to attract more investments. Now the international investments were getting staggered because of lack of infrastructure, he pointed out.

He said the state government was yet to give land for the Mysore airport and alleged that it was not taking the initiative to release the land acquired for upgrading Mangalore airport. The Centre was ready with funds, he added.

He said Prime Minister A B Vajpayee would inaugurate the golden quadrangle highway in the city on January 2. He would also give a New Year gift to the state by inaugurating the international terminal at the existing airport.

Ananth Kumar said the Centre would come out with a comprehensive transport policy. It had approved 868 km of national highways to Karnataka. The direct flights between Bangalore and New York via London and Bangalore and Bangkok would commence next month.

Earlier, in his address, Karnataka's special representative in New Delhi Basavarj Rayareddi wanted the Centre to clear the international airport and power projects. The foreign direct investment in the state was Rs 43.65 billion last year, which was 30 per cent of the total investments in the country.

He also urged Ananth Kumar to prevail upon the external affairs ministry to clear the Japanese proposal to set up a consulate general office in the city.

He claimed that the J H Patel government was striving to improve the power position in the state. If all projects go on steam, Karnataka would be a surplus state by 2002.

FKCCI president K Lakshman said his organisation had made serious attempts to develop a strong network with the national and international chambers of commerce and institutions. He wanted the governments to provide increased representation on various boards and agencies for coordination and fostering partnership between government and business community.

UNI

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