Why the government wants to move Jakkur Flying School- and how developers could benefit

The Karnataka government is preparing to relocate the iconic Jakkur Flying Training School to Mysuru, a move that could ease high-rise restrictions in north Bengaluru and open the area for commercial use.

One of Bengaluru’s most iconic aviation institutions, the Jakkur Flying Training School, may soon disappear from the city’s skyline. The Karnataka government has initiated steps to relocate the historic flying school from Jakkur to Mysuru, triggering debate over aviation safety, heritage, and urban development.

The Jakkur Flying Training School is considered a landmark in Indian civil aviation history. It was inaugurated in 1949 by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and has since played a key role in pilot training. The aerodrome holds additional historical value as the land was gifted specifically for aviation training by the then Mysuru Maharaja, Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar.

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According to official sources, the state government is now proposing to move the facility to the Mysuru aerodrome. A formal proposal was submitted to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) through a letter dated November 29. Following this, the government has constituted a committee of experts to examine the feasibility of shifting operations from Jakkur to Mysuru.

The expert committee is expected to hold discussions on the relocation plan in early December. This move comes just months after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the Jakkur aerodrome in September, where he had assured runway expansion and infrastructure development. The sudden shift in policy within two months has raised questions about the government’s intent.

Sources indicate that one of the main reasons behind the relocation plan is to relax strict height restrictions imposed around the aerodrome due to aviation safety norms. At present, any construction within a 2.7-kilometre radius of the Jakkur airstrip requires a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC), limiting high-rise development. Real estate developers have long demanded relaxation of these norms.

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The proposed relocation would allow the land to be repurposed for commercial activities, significantly benefiting development interests. However, similar attempts to shift the Jakkur aviation facility in the past were dropped due to its heritage value and safety concerns.

While the government maintains it is proceeding cautiously, the move has sparked speculation over whether the decision is influenced by pressure from real estate lobbies.