Date:01/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/01/stories/2007040114110400.htm

Karnataka - Bidar

Bidar Air Force Station being prepared for operation of civilian flights

Staff Correspondent

Funds have been set aside for the project in the Budget; more money to be provided if required

Land acquisition for terminals to start soon

Bidar: Preparations for using the Bidar Air Force Station for civil aviation have already started. Land acquisition for passenger terminals at the Air Force Station will start soon, Agriculture and district in-charge Minister Bandeppa Kashempur said here on Saturday.

Funds had been set aside for the project in the Budget, he told presspersons. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had promised additional funds if required. Civil aviation would change the face of Bidar, he said.

He was speaking after laying the foundation stone of the multi-storeyed commercial complex being built by the City Municipal Council. The CMC would spend Rs 4.5 crore on building the complex, which would have nearly 400 shops. The ground floor, with 200 shops, would be completed in six months at a cost of Rs. 99 lakh, he said.

Deputy Commissioner Munish Moudgil said the land on which the complex was coming up belonged to the CMC. The CMC had asked small traders who had shops on the land to vacate the place. "We will allot shops in the new building to all those who have vacated the place," he said.

Narsingrao Suryavanshi, MP, was among those present.