The Ooty Rd. realignment

Date: Jun 14, 2006

The Ooty Rd. realignment

Date: Jun 14, 2006

Further to this item, I also put in my blog (my latest blog is about Seletar Airport in Singapore and how the Sing government is developing it), a news item that was carried in yesterday's Star of Mysore (14/6) saying that the Mysore Airport project had been called off. It seems that the AAI is frustrated that the contentious piece of land measuring about 20 acres is still held up and has not been acquired for the project. The article goes on to say that the other contentious issue is that the Ooty Road on one end and the railway tracks on the other is an impediment and they foresee a problem with diverting the Ooty highway.

Several questions comes up to my mind. The AAI has surveyed this Airport a few times in the near past. Were they not aware that they'd have to do something about the highway or the rail track before they announced this project? Now it seems they are saying that relocating the railway tracks was going to cost them a bundle and they expect hurdles for the Ooty highway as well. That means none of these costs had been taken into considertaion when they did their budgeting! Strange.

Lets look at the practicality of the whole thing. The AAI wanted to asphalt the present dirt strip and make it suitable for 50 seat Aircraft. They were going to acquire additional land for expansion (what expansion, I don't know). If additional land was to be acquired for the purpose of runway re-alignment and runway extension (as we discussed on an earlier topic on my blog called "Mysore Airport Update") then there is no need for doing anything with the railway line or the Ooty Road. So, the mystery deepens. What was the additional land required for, if the exisiting runway was going to be kept with the same alignment? I guess, if the airport plan is made public (not that I am confident it will be), then everyone can see whats going on.

Is there something else going on that we are all missing or the AAI/State Government/local netas are hoodwinking the Mysore public? Let us hope that the news report is wrong or that this is only a rumour that SOM picked up. If Mysore is to develop, like Shanks put it in his reply to the NICE project, we need to be on the move. Air transport is vital to positive development.

Can some of our influential journo blogger friends get a clearer picture and assist in getting access to the plans or the Authorities? If the AAI is not willing to do it, can we not, like it is done abroad (and here-TAAL owns its own airport in Hosur, VISL owns Tornagallu Aiport in bellary), acquire it as a private entity and develop the same? There were talks, a few years ago that the State Government, since they own the land, wanted to either do a JV with a private party or hand it over to a private party for development. Can Mysore City not take over? Citizens group, corporates, to Indian laws, private Airports are encouraged for new investment. Think about it. How long will we wait for this mirage to materialize?

Date: Jun 14, 2006

We can try accessing the plan details.

Captain is right in asking why this enlightenment only now?

The original report on relocating a stretch of the Mysore-Ooty Road appeared in the Sunday edition of Deccan Herald. Even that report quoted only unnamed AAI sources.

Date: Jun 15, 2006

Comments on the airport appear on my blog although the topic I wrote about was about Seletar Airport in Singapore. nevertheless, some attention from bloggers is better than none. As for the plans, Mr. Vijendra, I think the DC Mysore may have copies or perhaps the new chap who represents AAI Mr. Meena. That would also expose why AAI is fixated on 20 acres of land that is in the court and they are not willing to take up the work on the remaining 155 acres. Ooty road diversion is a state issue and one would think that would be easier. It is easier said than done it seems.

Date: Jun 15, 2006

Here we go again, SOM publishes the ramblings (as I would call it) of the ACICM convenor about the Mysore Airport jinx in SOM dated 15th June. He goes on and on about a subject he has no clue about. The problem is the elected representatives make funny noises, the AAI makes funny noises and then citizens groups also make funny noises. No wonder the common Mysorean is stumped at all this tamasha.

Date: Jun 15, 2006

Would be enlightening if you could find time to highlight , points-wise, if possible, some of the more glaring aspects of ACICM ramblings.

Date: Jun 15, 2006

The ACICM convenor says that airport cannot be expanded with only 17 acres and would have been better if there was another site away from Mysore with 1. Incidentally I have written detailed letter to SOM about this newsreport (sound bite reporting). The ACICM convenor says:

1. Convenor says the project was doomed from the start because he mentioned 7 months back that the airport had too many obstacles such as rail line, road, lake, hill - My reply is that this is an easy approach to fly into. The obstructions he mentions are not a factor. There are thousands of airports with approaches that are ringed by mountains and other obstructions.

2.He says that with an area of just 175 acres, it can only handle 20 seater aircraft- My reply: Airport land area has little to do with the ability for aircraft to take off and land. Runway length is the most important, taking Mysore's field elevation above mean sea level and the average temperature, one can compute the takeoff and landing distances for aircraft. how many acres surround the runway hardly matters. Actually, with the proposed runway length, 48 seat ATR42 and 68 seat ATR 72 can also operate in and out and not 20 seaters only. By the way there are no 20 seaters around. The Dornier 228 operated by Indian in 18 seats. The next category is in the 34-37 seats and onwards.

3. He says: 'For any jet aircraft to land at Mandakalli airport, the minimum runway length should be about 1.5 km and the land should not be less than 1,200 acres" - My reply: I wonder where he gets his aviation info from. 1.5 kilometers is just about 5,000 feet. As a pilot who flies turboprops and jets, i can tell you for jet ops we need greater than 8,000 especially at altitude airports. With 6,000 feet the jets can barely make it with reduced capacity for passengers and less fuel. No chance of an A320 or B737 landing at a 5,000 feet runway unless they are flying in with minimum fuel, everything removed to lessen the weight and zero passengers to make it light and even then they would be struggling, just can't be done! Again, 1200 acres is a magic number that he only knows. Unless you want to build 10,000 feet international runways and make five of them, you don't need that much land area. I have given Male' international Airport in Maldives as an example in my letter to SOM. I will give the link when the letter is published, for more information. Looking at long term and Mysorebecoming an International Airport, that would need bigger airport and hence the bigger space but not like he has mentioned.

Date: Jun 15, 2006

Corrigendum:

First three lines of my previous post should read: The ACICM convenor says that airport cannot be expanded with only 175 acres and would have been better if there was another site away from Mysore. Incidentally I have written detailed letter to SOM about this newsreport (sound bite reporting). The ACICM convenor says:

Date: Jun 17, 2006

Nice points raised Capt. This puts one more question into the hat. "Is some trying to grab more land in the name of the airport?". Let people take a look at google earth where they can see the areial map of Bangalore Airport very clearly. (Incidentally I was showing the Bangalore airport to a friend just before I posted this reply!!) These officials should stop taking gullible public for a verbal ride. They should first take an aeiral ride and see how airports are designed instead of just making comments.

Date: Jun 18, 2006

Mr. Madhukar, the latest Business World has an interview with the Civil Aviation Minister and he says the policy is to allow as many "greenfield" Airports to come up in India, as possible. There is a rider to it in that no greenfield Airport may come up within 150 kms of any International Airport. This is not a good step and this is what stifles competition but we have to live with those rules. That means, if we are looking at a new venue for Mysore new Airport cannot be located between Mysore and Bangalore and should be away, say towards Coorg or further south of Nanjangud. ACICM perhaps does not know these rules either. I don't know what they are "informed" about, that they are "concerned" about.

Date: Jun 18, 2006

Sorry Captain, since u couldnt open the link url I had send earlier in your blog, hence I have cut and pasted this news article from Hindu dated Monday, Jun 19, 2006 for everyone.

Setback for Mysore as Centre says `no' to Infosys SEZ

Staff Correspondent

Poor connectivity, infrastructure cited as reasons

Infosys SEZ in Mangalore gets approval
The SEZ in Mysore was expected to generate an annual export of Rs. 1,900 crore

The company hopes the State Government will step in and push forward the project

MYSORE: The city's reputation as an alternative information technology destination to Bangalore suffered a setback after the proposed Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Infosys Technologies in Mysore failed to get clearance from the Union Government's Board of Approvals (BOA).

Though the IT major had proposed two SEZs in the Karnataka — one at Mysore and the other at Mangalore — the BOA, the single window-clearing agency for SEZ had given its approval only for the Infosys SEZ at Mangalore.

Infosys had proposed to set up a "product-specific" SEZ on 70 acres of land on its existing campus in Mysore by investing an estimated Rs. 400 crore. The SEZ in Mysore was expected to employ 10,000 software professionals and generate an annual export of Rs. 1,900 crore within a year of commissioning.

Officials in the Department of Industries and Commerce have cited poor connectivity and infrastructure in Mysore as a reason for the BOA's refusal to accord approval for the Infosys SEZ in Mysore.

Setback

However, Infosys officials hope the State Government would step in and push forward the SEZ project in Mysore. "It is a big setback for Mysore as well as the State Government. After all, the city is an important tier-II city, which the State wants to promote. It is time the State Government demonstrated its willingness to create an investor- friendly atmosphere by pushing forward the proposal," a senior Infosys official told presspersons.

Quoting Infosys' chairman and chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy, an IT expert in Mysore said the Infosys campus in the city could have employed 19,000 professionals in a year's time had the SEZ project come through. Infosys employs close to 4,000 software professionals in addition to 3,000 to 4,000 trainees at its Corporate Training Centre in Mysore.

BOA's refusal to clear the mega project comes less than six months after the then Secretary to the Department of Information Technology Mr Shankarlinge Gowda had announced in Mysore that the Infosys SEZ would catapult software exports from Mysore to greater heights and realize its true potential in the IT sector.

Facilities

Though Mysore enjoys proximity to Bangalore, officials in the Department of Industries and Commerce said Mangalore had a functional airport, a seaport and better road network. "This could have helped Mangalore get the BOA's nod," an official said.

The failure of Mysore to secure a clearance for the SEZ has provided cannon fodder for the industry in Mysore, which has been rooting for early launch of air services from the city and the expeditious completion of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) expressway project.

The failure of Mysore to secure a clearance for Infosys SEZ in view of poor infrastructure comes close on the heels of the city losing another mega investment project — the Rs 13,000-crore Fab city, a semi-conductor manufacturing unit.

Date: Jun 19, 2006

Thanks Sudhi. Was not able to access the link. The article just goes to show that ths project has more problems than siloutions. It seems the politicians don't want a solution. Or don't care for one. it is not just a matter of re-aligning a road. It is deeper than that.

Date: Jun 21, 2006

SOM and all newspapers are carrying the news that:

1. No new land/location will be entertained by the AAI and if any Airport is to come up, it has to be Mandakalli.

2. They will re-start the project provided they get the 20 acres of land still due to them.

3. Ooty Highway will need to be either moved or to go underground.

So, that should be final and we should look forward to, a regional airport that can connect various towns in the first phase. large Aircraft operations may come much later, if they are able to acquire additional land required at either end of the runway to lengthen the same. Acquiring 1000 acres and all that nonsense that some people say is not going to help unless the land is part of the runway, even then, do the math and you realize that you'd need a fraction of that for making it OK for jets to fly in. As for the Chamundi Hill, having flown at mandakalli, i can say that the Hill is nowhere near the flight/approch path of the runway. If someone says so, they are saying so without knowledge of aviation. As Mr. Madhukar put it, some of these irresponsible chaps making funny noises about the hill being an obstruction, should charter an Aircraft and do some local flying and approaches to realize that they are wrong.

Date: Jun 29, 2006

At last SOM has published my letter to the editor, debunking ACICM convenor's claims about the Mysore Airport at Mandakalli. It is in today's, 29th June, edition of Star of Mysore.

For those who want a real perspective, please go through this and don't be fooled by so-called expert opinion that comes out of non experts who don't deem it fit to ask some one else who may be in the field, before making outlandish statements and misleading the public.

Date: Jun 29, 2006

Only one grouse about my letter is that I have been mentioned as an "Ex-pilot". Heck no, I am a pilot even now!

Date: Jun 29, 2006

Don't mean to hog this space but my letter has not been published in its entirety and for that reason, I will publish the same here below:

"Sir,
Apropos your news item dated June 15th, 2006 “Airport is a farce, reiterates ACICM”. While I agree with Mr.Lakshmana that the scope for expansion is limited at the current site at Mandakalli, I also have to take up the issue of misinformation once again. For operations
using 50 seat Aircraft such as the ATR 42 and even 68 seater Aircraft such as ATR 72, the runway length of 1.5 kilometers (around 5,000 feet) is indeed enough.He mentions that 20 seaters can only operate, which is not true. Airport land area has nothing to do with the
type of Aircraft it can handle; only runway length matters. When we used to operate out of Male’ International Airport able to handle all large jets flying into the Republic of Maldives, the runway was 10,000 feet on a small island and where the runway was only a straight piece of reclaimed land jutting out with the Indian ocean surrounding it. Land area wise,
Mysore Mandakalli has more than enough and the approach to land is easier than a lot of mountain airports in the World.

As a pilot who’s flown all types of Aircraft including jets, I can also say that the runway lengths mentioned by Mr. Lakshmana for jet Aircraft to take off and land is not correct. At Mysore’s elevation above sea level and average temperature (these are the things that matter for an Aircraft’s performance), we’d need at least 8,000+ feet runway to operate some of the jet
Aircraft such as the B737 and A320’s being flown by every Airline these days. While I agree that Mysore desperately needs an Airport and that perhaps we may need to look at alternate sites if there is a need to expand runways and add multiple runways, I also have
to keep questioning the source of information that ACICM convenor gets regarding aviation. As I had mentioned before, perhaps 7 months ago to his press conference, a non aviation person clearly cannot understand aviation matters, which is fine, but is it not better to make general remarks about the need for expansion, than talk about technical matters that one does not understand? As for the Airport project itself, I hope that it breaks out of the jinx and we
can at least start having some air connectivity."

End.