Karnataka Government Seeks Land Exchange with IAF for Yelahanka Runway
The Karnataka government is negotiating a land swap with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to secure the Yelahanka runway, currently disputed by the forest department. This initiative is part of a broader effort to reclaim encroached forest land, totaling over 204,000 acres across the state.

The Karnataka government aims to exchange a 160-acre runway at Yelahanka Air Force Station, contested by the forest department, for two land parcels totaling approximately 159.29 acres currently used by the IAF. The state is focused on recovering encroached forest land, with over 204,229 acres identified, including significant encroachments in Bengaluru Urban and Rural.
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre is targeting colonial-era leases that allow companies to occupy land at minimal rates. The IAF's Yelahanka base, established on August 1, 1963, serves as a premier training facility and hosts the Aero India air show. Tensions have also arisen over land claims related to Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium and defense land encroachment by city authorities.




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