Mysuru: Union civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said the expansion of Mysuru Airport would be given priority considering the city’s importance as a major tourism, cultural and heritage destination.At present, the airport handles ATR operations due to the limited runway length. Expansion of the runway would enable the airport to handle narrow-body aircraft and provide better connectivity to Mysuru, he told reporters after attending the Civil Aviation Consultative Committee meeting in Mysuru.He said Mysuru MP Yaduveer Wadiyar had raised several issues concerning the airport’s expansion and sought the Centre’s support for improving connectivity.“People from across the country and the world want to visit Mysuru for tourism, spirituality, art and culture. Ensuring better connectivity to the city will be one of our priorities,” the minister said.He said the Ministry would engage with the Karnataka govt to expedite the availability of land required for the airport expansion so that the development process could begin at the earliest.Yaduveer met the minister and discussed several issues. He told reporters that he had urged the Union civil aviation ministry to initiate the detailed project report (DPR) for the expansion of Mysuru Airport alongside the ongoing land acquisition process, instead of waiting for the complete handover of the required land.The MP said he had requested the minister to expedite preparations for the proposed airport expansion and additional terminal. The expansion has been delayed for nearly three years as the state govt is yet to complete the process of handing over the required land, he said.Yaduveer also sought a formal no-fly zone over Chamundi Hills, citing its religious, cultural and heritage significance. He urged the civil aviation ministry to examine the proposal in line with restrictions imposed or considered around other important pilgrimage destinations in the country, including Tirupati.Hangar at Mysuru AirportYaduveer also raised the issue of the NCC training centre at Mysuru Airport, stating that the state govt was yet to release its share of funds required for the refurbishment of the hangar. He urged the Union minister to intervene and impress upon the state govt to release the funds at the earliest.
