Minister MB Patil holds meeting with officials over second airport for Bengaluru
Bengaluru: With Bengaluru growing rapidly as a metropolitan city, Karnataka Minister for Infrastructure Development MB Patil on Thursday, 20 June, held a meeting with officials regarding the construction of a second airport for the city.
During the meeting attended by Manjula, the Secretary of the Infrastructure Development Department, Patil directed the preparation of a feasibility report for the new airport, the Minister’s office said in a release.
Noting that Bengaluru International Airport is the third busiest airport in the country after Delhi and Mumbai, the Minister said last year the airport handled 37.5 million passengers and over 400,000 tonnes of cargo.
He emphasised the need for a second airport to efficiently manage the expected increase in both passenger traffic and freight in the coming years, the release said.
When the Devanahalli airport was established, the contract terms stipulated that no other airport could be established within a 150-kilometer radius until 2033.
With nine years remaining under the agreement, the Minister highlighted the need to start preparations now.
Patil explained that the current airport is projected to reach its peak passenger handling capacity by 2033 and its maximum cargo handling capacity by 2040.
Considering that land acquisition and compensation for landowners take a significant amount of time, Patil underscored the necessity of beginning work on the second airport immediately.
He also emphasised the importance of second airport in order to develop an industrial ecosystem beyond Bengaluru.
ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ವಿಮಾನ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ: ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳ ಜತೆ ಚರ್ಚೆ
— M B Patil (@MBPatil) June 20, 2024
ವೇಗವಾಗಿ ಬೆಳೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವ ಮತ್ತು ಜಾಗತಿಕ ಮಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಗಮನ ಸೆಳೆದಿರುವ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಮಹಾನಗರದ ಮುಂಬರುವ ಅಗತ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಗಮನದಲ್ಲಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡು ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ವಿಮಾನ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ ನಿರ್ಮಿಸುವ ಸಂಬಂಧ ಮೂಲಸೌಕರ್ಯ ಇಲಾಖೆಯ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಗುರುವಾರ ಪ್ರಾಥಮಿಕ ಹಂತದ ಚರ್ಚೆ ನಡೆಸಿದೆ.… pic.twitter.com/idZU14rwgC
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Ban is not shocking, if I join BJP my ban will be lifted: Bajrang on NADA suspension
New Delhi (PTI): Suspended for four years due to his "refusal" to provide sample for dope test, Olympic medallist Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia on Wednesday said it was a vindictive move by the government which would quash the ban if he joins the BJP.
NADA said Bajrang violated the rules by refusing to give sample during selection trials for the national team on March 10.
The anti-doping body had first suspended the Tokyo Games bronze medallist wrestler on April 23 for the offence following which, the sport's world governing body UWW had also slapped him with a suspension.
"It is not shocking because this issue about trial has been going on for last one year. I have said in the past too that I have not refused to give sample to NADA. When they visited my home to conduct the dope test, they came with an expiry kit (in December, 2023). I have also posted this on social media," Barjrang told reporters.
Punia, along with fellow wrestler and Olympian Vinesh Phogat, have joined the Congress Party earlier this year.
Bajrang added in his defence, "You can't give expiry kit to any player and as far as I am concerned, my team was there, so they saw it. They came carrying expiry kits dated 2020, 2021, 2022.
"I gave my urine sample but then my team checked the kit and found out that it was expired. So we made a video of the kit and we mailed NADA, called them to inform about the mistake. But they did not accept their mistake."
The wrestler alleged that the government is looking to get back at them for their involvement in the long-drawn sit-in protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a BJP politician.
"I also feel that because of our protest in support of the women wrestlers, they are trying to exact revenge because all the agencies are fall under the purview of the government.
"I have been competing for the last 10-12 years and I have given sample during all tournaments, during the India camps. But the government's motive is to break us, make us bow down to them. If I join the BJP then I think all my bans will be lifted," Bajrang claimed.
The suspension means that Bajrang will not be able to return to competitive wrestling or apply for a coaching job abroad, if he aspires to, till April 22, 2028.
