Devanahalli Airport construction takes off at last

Workers carry out preparatory construction work at Devanahalli, site of the Bangalore International Airport, on Friday. Actual construction will begin from the date of the financial closure.

Photo: The Times of India

Work on Devanahalli airport begins at last
The Times of India

Bangalore: Work on the Bangalore international airport at Devanahalli commenced two days ago, chief minister N. Dharam Singh said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters here, Singh said he would visit the airport project site in a day or two to oversee the progress made. However, he refused to comment on why the state government had not made public the commencement of work on the project. A few problems were sorted out recently, he maintained.

The Rs 1,411-crore project is awaiting a bank guarantee from the state government for the promised Rs 350 crore state support. Sources said details of the bank guarantee — a payment security mechanism — had been ironed out and would be cleared within two days.

The financial closure for the project in the form of an award letter will signify the start date for construction.

WHAT IS DUE
Bank guarantee for the state support agreement (expected within two days)
Re-signing of share-holders agreement which lapsed (expected within May-end).
Financial closure (expected within May-end).
Start of construction (day of financial closure).

It began with a single jeep carrying files and plans into the site, 20 days ago. A tent followed. Then came tin sheds, mobile metal offices bringing white-collar workers to oversee labourers. And finally, the foundation for a site office...

This is the quiet way that Bangalore’s dream is coming true: A single crane lifting slabs of black stone, a handful of workers digging foundations in the earth, a villager from nearby Mailanahalli muttering: “That airport.. it is happening.’’

Unlike Hyderabad’s international airport, Bangalore is starting not only with a boundary wall but the actual airport itself. “We will excavate a huge area for the terminal building and runway, simultaneously with the boundary wall. We are just waiting for the official launch date (financial closure),’’ Bangalore International Airport Limited chief projects officer Sivaramakrishnan S. Iyer told The Times of India.

About 150 workers are chipping away at the ground at the airport area, to set up 49 temporary structures necessary to enable construction. Within six months, 3,000 workers will be living on the site, working against the deadline of 33 months from the launch date to the first flight taking off from the 4-km runway — India’s longest.

Ground excavation itself is expected to take nine months, with the loose soil in Devanahalli area being a cause for concern. The runway will require multiple layers dug deep into the ground to ensure heavy aircraft can take off.

Still, the planning has been extensive. All construction activity will be on site: the entire stone and aggregate requirement for the Rs 1,400-crore project will be sourced from a functioning illegal quarry within the airport boundary, this time with government permission.

A full-fledged construction yard is being set up, with a stone-crusher, hot-mix plant, concrete casting yard, quality control. Whatever is dug out of the ground will not be carted away, but put back: “Crusher dust will be used to stabilise loose soil, excavated mud will be put in plinth foundation,’’ Iyer said.

BWSSB is laying a pipeline for recycled water from Yelahanka sewage plant, while power will be sourced from 13 onsite diesel generators. Local and displaced villagers will supplement Larsen & Toubro’s workforce, giving a thrust to local economy.