Team Blitz India
MUMBAI: The existing airstrip at Karad in Maharashtra’s Satara district will soon be developed into an airport with the state government recently announcing the approval of Rs 221 crore for the project.
While Rs 89 crore will be spent on acquiring 45.82 hectares of land for the project, Rs 29.73 crore will be spent on increasing the length of the existing airstrip, construction of an apron and developing navigation, and communication systems, according to a government resolution (GR).
A sum of Rs 20 crore was approved for the acquisition of 2.9 hectares of land to rehabilitate the project-affected people, the GR added.
The government will also spend Rs 14.59 crore on related tasks, like flattening the land, construction of a boundary wall and creation of drainage and outlets for water accumulated during rains, the order issued on November 29 said.
Karad is over 300 km south of Mumbai and is known as the sugar bowl of Maharashtra. There are sugarcane fields and many sugar factories in and around Karad. It is also an educational hub in western Maharashtra with several recognised educational institutes.
The development will provide a fillip to tourism in and around Karad, which has religious and historical sites in the vicinity, once the airport becomes operational, it said.
