Karnataka to develop three airports on PPP model: Official

Bangalore, June 19 (UNI) As many as 19 companies in the private sector have evinced interest to develop the proposed Bijapur, Shimoga and Gulbarga airports under the PPP model, Infrastructure Secretary V P Baligar said today.

Speaking to newspersons here, he said the state government had acquired land for the proposed airports. In future, all the major highway projects would be developed under the PPP model and the Sandur, Hospet and Belekere by-pass road works were being taken up under such mode at a cost of over Rs 110 crore.

Refuting charges that the state was lagging behind in releasing its share of funds for Railway projects, he said every year, the state government was releasing between Rs 250 crore and Rs 300 crore to the Indian Railways. Gulbarga-Bidar, Kottur-Harihar, Mehaboobnagar-Munirabad, Mangalore-Hassan and Gadag-Bijapur railway lines were put on the fast track mode, to be completed in a time bound manner, he added.

To a question, Mr Baligar said the introduction of passenger services between Bangalore-Mangalore was delayed as the Safety Commissioner, Indian Railways, was yet to give clearance.

A Conventional Centre on the international standards would also come up near the Devanahalli International Airport, near here, to be constructed by the State Tourism department under PPP model, he said.

UNI