Senior BJP member Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Wednesday claimed that he smelt a “15% cut” scam in the execution of airport works in Shivamogga, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s home district, and alleged that the State government has been discriminating in allocation of funds to the airport in Vijayapura.
During the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Yatnal said the government had given administrative approval for ₹383 crore to the airport in Shivamogga and only ₹220 crore to the airport in Vijayapura. He alleged that the Public Works Department escalated the cost of the airport in Shivamogga by increasing the allocation above 15% of the tender to “get cut in the execution of works”.
Moreover, the airport in Shivamogga would get facilities such as cargo transport, night landing, and 350-metre runway for landing Boeing and other big aeroplanes round the clock and these have been denied to the Vijayapura airport, Mr. Yatnal said.
The airport in Vijayapura required cargo transport facilities since the district exports horticultural produce such as grapes and pomegranates, said Mr. Yatnal, who has been critical on many fronts on the style of functioning of the Chief Minister.
More tourists visit Vijayapura and Bagalkot than Shivamogga since the former two districts have historical places such as Badami and Gol Gumbaz. “Why this discrimination in provision of facilities and allocation of funds?” Mr. Yatnal asked and urged the government to develop the airport in Vijayapura on par with the airport in Shivamogga.
Minister for Infrastructure Anand Singh said the cost of the airport in Shivamogga escalated due to shifting of high tension electricity lines. The government will not discriminate in providing facilities between airports in the State, he said.
