Karnataka has written to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh requesting the transfer of around 15 acres of defence land to the state government for key infrastructure projects in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Singh in New Delhi, Siddaramaiah said the ministry had responded positively to this and two other petitions submitted by the state.
Of the defence land sought, 2.039 acres will be for the construction of a ramp for the Bengaluru Urban Vehicular Twin Tunnel Project, or the Bengaluru tunnel road, at Hebbal. The road, according to the petition, aims to “address persistent traffic congestion from Kempegowda International Airport and northern Bengaluru” by “providing a high-speed alternative for airport-bound and intercity commuters”. Though the initial application of the state government was for 2.57 acres, it was revised following a joint inspection with local military authorities.
The second of three parcels of the land sought measures 6.837 acres and is for the construction of a link road between Airport Road (Bellary Road) to Sarovara Layout. The road is being built as per the 2015 Revised Master Plan for Bengaluru, which proposed a 18-m-wide road to improve connectivity.
The third is for the construction of a metro viaduct and flyover under the double-decker model in Bengaluru Metro’s phase 3. The proposed corridor-1 alignment between JP Nagar 4th Phase and Kempapura passes through defence land near Goraguntepalya, requiring 7.36 acres of land from two defence agencies located in the stretch.
The petition urged the defence ministry to expedite the approval process for the above land proposals.
Defence corridors
The second petition requested the central government to set up two defence industrial corridors–one each in North Karnataka and South Karnataka–along the lines of the ones announced for Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in 2018. “As you might know, 67% of all aircraft and helicopter manufacturing for defence services is carried out in Karnataka and 25% of India’s aircraft and spacecraft industry are based in the State,” the petition said, adding that the proposed corridors would leverage the existing ecosystem and infrastructure of defence production in the state.
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Dasara airshow
The third petition urged the defence ministry to allow the Indian Air Force to participate in the Mysuru Dasara celebrations by deputing their aerobatic teams. If the ministry agrees to the plan, this will be the fourth time since 2017 that Dasara celebrations will feature an airshow.
The IAF performed during Dasara in 2019 and 2023 also. The state government has urged the ministry to depute Surya Kiran, Sarang, and other aerobatic teams to perform at the event this year.