Work on Devanahalli airport underway

Work on Devanahalli airport begins

The Hindu

BANGALORE: Ground-level work has started at the international airport site in Devenahalli near here with men and machines in place.

Work on the Rs. 1,200-crore airport project was to begin in October 2002. The Government acquired 1,650 hectares of land almost four years ago and much of it has been levelled. However, hurdles in obtaining clearances and the financial closure caused the delay.

More than 600 workers are at the site and over the next 12 weeks, considerable progress on the work is expected. Workers' camps, sheds for material and temporary offices for the technical and building staff have been put up at the site. Work on the 4,000-metre runway for the first phase is on, said officials of Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL), which is implementing the work. Staff canteens and kitchens for workers have become functional.

The main runway has an east-west orientation. The runway and many buildings of the terminal and other structures such as the air traffic control tower are expected to be ready by April 2008, when the first flights will land at Devanahalli.

Apart from BIAL, Siemens and Larsen & Toubro, which are part of the consortium involved in the project, have set up onsite offices.

When the Government signed the land lease agreement with the consortium in January this year, Minister for Industries P.G.R. Sindhia said that the financial closure would take place by March, but it was delayed till June. The 30-month deadline now means most of the airport has to be ready by April 2008.