Defence Ministry mulling over Aero India 2019 venue

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 4 (ANI): Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday clarified that no decision has been taken yet regarding the venue of Aero India 2019.

The clarification came after a section of media reports highlighted a change in the venue of the event from Bengaluru.

"There is no announcement made yet on it by the Ministry of Defence. There are cities which are being considered. We will soon decide on the venue and the dates," Sitharaman said in a press conference.

In the presser held jointly with Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Sitharaman said the state government has been ordered to immediately proceed with developmental work as allocated.

"For 10 projects that are related to development, we have agreed that the Karnataka government will give equal value land to Defence. I've very clearly instructed our ministry to immediately allow construction. Work shall not wait until the time equal value land is given to us," she said.

The Defence Minister further assured that her ministry would work with the state government to solve every issue raised by the Chief Minister.

"I would make sure that the work is started with the utmost urgency, people of Bengaluru should not suffer," she added.

Bengaluru faces massive traffic congestion due to the city's fast-paced growth and inflow of people from different parts of the country for jobs and education, forcing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to upgrade the existing road infrastructure.

The BBMP, with the assistance of the state government, is implementing several projects which include road widening, flyovers, elevated corridors, and required land belonging to the Defence Ministry in several cases.

The BBMP, therefore, requested the Defence Ministry for the land, to which the Ministry agreed on the condition that the same value of land should be returned to the ministry. It then constituted a Board of Officers, who finalised a review in a short span of time and recommended the transfer of land for 10 critical projects. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI