The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will take up the six-laning works of the Mysuru-Nanjangud stretch of NH-766 with a change in alignment consequent to the proposed extension of the Mysuru airport runway.
Though it was originally proposed to have an underpass bisecting the extended runway and security clearance was also issued by the Director General of Civil Aviation, the concept of underpass has been disbanded and the authorities have preferred the diversion of NH-766.
At a meeting with the officials of the Airport Authority of India and the Revenue Department held here on Friday, June 2, Pratap Simha, Mysuru MP, called for expediting the land acquisition process which could take between three to six months before the actual work on six-laning of the highway could be taken up.
He said that the change in alignment of NH-766 will mean a detour of 7 km and the deviation to the left will commence immediately after the Dalvoy Lake and the road will rejoin the existing alignment before the toll gate. As a result of the road diversion, the Mysuru-Nanjangud distance could be around 29 km in future. A service road on either side of the highway has also been planned.
The cost of the underpass was pegged at ₹510 crore and the same amount would now be utilised for highway diversion. The AAI will transfer ₹510 crore to NHAI which will pitch in with the balance of money required for completing the works, Mr. Simha added.
Required funds
Though the Centre will bear the entire cost of the highway construction, the State Government has to pitch in with funds as well. This is to meet the cost of shifting the existing power lines, diverting irrigation canals, shifting water line, electricity and telephone poles etc.
While the irrigation department will have to be paid ₹78 crore, the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) have to be paid around ₹68 crore. Besides, forest department and the horticulture department have to be paid to facilitate them to compensate the plantation owners and the cumulative burden on the State Government will be around ₹600 – including for additional land acquisition. The previous Basavaraj Bommai Government has already released ₹320 crore for the works and the Congress Government has to make allocation for the balance of amount, according to Mr. Simha.
The diversion of the highway and the six-laning work of the Mysuru-Nanjangud stretch of NH-766 will commence concomitantly. The diversion of the NH-766 has been necessitated as the runway of the Mysuru airport is being extended from the existing 1,740 meters to 2,450 meters.
But Mr. Simha said that in a bid to future-proof, they intend to extend it further to help meet the long-term requirements. The work on the new terminal building which will augment the capacity of the airport to handle higher passenger traffic, will require 91 acres and was in the process of being acquired.
AAI representatives R.Manjunath, Mr. Anup, Director, Mysuru Airport, senior officials from the Revenue Department were present.
