Administration wants NHAI to spare land for airport project

In order to enable expansion of Mysore airport, the local administration asked National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to spare a chunk of land while upgrading a stretch of NH-212 between Mysore and Nanjangud. The district administration asked NHAI to spare the stretch between Mysore and Kadkola and launch the upgradation works from Kadkola onwards, as it will help in airport expansion. Further, the district administration directed KIADB to complete the formalities to acquire 145-acre land needed for airport expansion. Earlier, Airports Authority of India (AAI) made it clear that it could not procedd with the expansion project unless it gets land primarily for the extension of the runway by some 1 km. Therefore, it wanted Mysore-Nanjangud stretch to be realigned. NHAI has planned upgradation of NH-212 -- that connects Kozhikode in Kerala with Kollegal in Chamarajnagar district via Mysore. Of the 250 km NH-212, about 160 km stretch is in Karnataka, and the same is proposed to be upgraded at a cost of Rs 523.48 crore.