Change in design of Devanahalli airport likely

Change in design of Devanahalli airport likely
Deccan Herald

Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel’s apprehensions about the architecture of the upcoming international airport in Devanahalli may just be another speed-breaker for the long-pending project.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel’s apprehensions about the architecture of the upcoming international airport in Devanahalli may just be another speed-breaker for the long-pending project.

The airport’s promoters — Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) — are looking to make minor changes to the big picture in the redesigning phase, so that the changes don’t come in the way of the deadline or the long-term design of the airport.

“BIAL is working on the redesign. The plan will then go to the BIAL board for approval,” a source in the BIAL said, without disclosing the features of the airport which have come under the scanner. Groundwork on the 3,800-acre greenfield airport site started in July last year. The airport is expected to be open in April 2008, a deadline which BIAL is positive about meeting.

“The redesigning will not affect the deadline. BIAL is committed to opening the airport for commercial operations in April 2008,” says the BIAL source, who adds that the redesigning phase is also taking into account the updated traffic projections for the airport in its opening year — 6.7 million passengers.

Chief Projects Officer Sivaramakrishnan S Iyer says the change of design would not be major enough to alter the groundwork pattern considerably. “There are no plans of extensive new construction or destruction. We’ll only be working on adjustments within the initial plan. For instance, within the terminal buildings, we’ll be looking at increasing the number of counters. I wouldn’t even call it redesigning... we are only making alterations which are bound to come anyway in a project of this size,”he says.

Tendering

BIAL is moving on with the tendering process for cargo, ground handling and aviation fuel facility.

“The bids for the fuel facility have been submitted and are in the evaluation process. For cargo and ground handling, BIAL has received the pre-qualification documents,” says the BIAL source. The security for the airport will not be tendered and will be provided by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).