Express series prods Dharam into clearing airport?

Prodded, CM Dharam Singh wakes up, grounded airport could take off today
Airport: ‘Cabinet expected to clear it Saturday, work to begin mid-Jan, funds issue solved’
The Indian Express

Karnataka Chief Minister Dharam Singh’s eventful visit to New Delhi, which started as a painful exercise in explaining away Bangalore’s crumbling infrastructure, is ending with an unexpected commitment: His government may give its go-ahead to the endlessly delayed international airport project as early as tomorrow.

Speaking to The Indian Express, whose series on Bangalore’s problems forced the Chief Minister to fly to New Delhi for damage control, Singh said: ‘‘The Cabinet is expected to clear the airport project tomorrow. Work will start in the second week of January.’’


He even claimed that the Centre had taken care of his main concern—escalating costs—by agreeing to shell out more money on its part.

‘‘The airport falls under the infrastructural project of a city that is the fastest growing in the country. The Centre appreciates this fact and has promised to help,’’ said Singh.

Dharam Singh had been dragging his feet on the project even after the Central government gave its approval five months back. This had added to the worries and costs of the international consortium waiting to build the airport. Earlier this week, Albert Brunner, CEO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the international consortium that will build it, told The Indian Express that delays had already cost his company an extra Rs 50 crore.

‘‘Besides the financial damage, there is damage to the credibility of our company and also the investment climate for infrastructure projects in India,’’ he had said. Although he declined to comment on the government, his impatience couldn’t have been more evident: ‘‘(The shareholders) have repeatedly said their patience is not unlimited...the delay this project has suffered (is) in an unacceptable range.’’

Singh was worried about the rising tab that his state would be stuck with if the cost of the project escalated. Karnataka had promised Rs 350 crore to support the international airport at a time when its total cost was estimated at Rs 1,260 crore. The project is now expected to cost Rs 1,334 crore but Singh did not want to pay extra — even though delays caused by his government had added to the cost.

He said that even this issue has now been resolved: ‘‘The Central government has promised to make up the extra cost,’’ Singh told this newspaper. ‘‘The state’s cost will not go beyond Rs 350 crore. The finances will be worked out in some way.’’

While he did not spell out how, Singh was keen to display the urgency that had been lacking before this newspaper’s five-part series on the city’s problems. Many software giants had told The Indian Express that they were ready to pack their bags and move elsewhere if Bangalore did not get its act together.

Singh and his team rushed to New Delhi to explain that Bangalore was in safe hands. Now they are trying to prove that they mean it.