Lawmakers rally for Sira as State’s next airport hub

Bengaluru: A coalition of more than 30 legislators from across Karnataka’s political spectrum has thrown its weight behind Sira taluk in Tumakuru district as the prime location for the state’s second international airport.

Spearheaded by T B Jayachandra, Karnataka’s voice in New Delhi, the group has penned a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging a rethink of current plans favouring Harohalli in Kanakapura taluk or Nelamangala.

In the letter, the lawmakers stated, “We, the elected representatives of Central and North Karnataka, wish to bring to your attention the urgent need for the construction of a second international airport in Karnataka. As the Bengaluru International Airport is becoming increasingly overcrowded, the Government of Karnataka has initiated plans to construct an alternative airport near Bengaluru.” The lawmakers champion Sira for its strategic advantages, spotlighting its connectivity and burgeoning infrastructure. With the Upper Bhadra canal, the Hemavathi irrigation project, and a forthcoming Tumakuru-Rayadurga railway line cutting through the taluk, Sira is claimed to be poised for growth. According to sources, Sira’s position along the Chennai-Bengaluru expressway, plus major developments like the HAL helicopter plant, the Vasantha Narasapura industrial township, a Japanese township, and an international cricket stadium, makes the case grows stronger. However, Sira is about 120 kilometers from the heart of Bengaluru.

Beyond logistics, the legislators see Sira’s potential to ease Bengaluru’s chokehold of traffic, predicting a 50 per cent drop in the capital’s congestion. They argue that placing the airport here would not only uplift central Karnataka but also extend benefits to the northern regions, offering a balanced boost to the state’s development.