After Defence denies permission, Karnataka govt likely to move sky deck project to southwest Bengaluru

On Thursday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah along with Bengaluru ministers, Congress MLAs, and senior officials chaired a meeting to discuss the sky deck project. An in-principle approval was accorded to the project, and it was decided that the sky deck would be built outside the CBD, said government sources.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had shortlisted three areas based on feasibility studies – Bangalore University campus in Jnanabharathi, Kommaghatta, and Hemmigepura – for the project.

The BBMP, however, dropped the Jnanabharathi campus as a possible site to preserve the tranquillity of the university environment and Kommaghatta due to its accessibility issues.

Finally, a consensus was developed to use the 25-acre land in Hemmigepura, currently under NICE’s custody. Located in Banashankari sixth stage, the place offers a view of the Turahalli forest and is approximately five kilometre from the Thalaghattapura Metro station.

However, the decision to move the project to the southwest region has sparked concerns that the location for Bengaluru’s second airport will unlikely be in the southern or southwestern part of the city, owing to the 250-metre sky deck coming in the way of airfield height restrictions.

Two days ago, Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil in the Assembly had stated that the government has identified “seven to eight” potential sites for the second airport in southern, western, and northern parts, within 50-60 km distance from the city.

The sky deck was proposed by Shivakumar to woo tourists with food courts, and play arenas, among other amenities, and position the structure as a major tourist attraction.