Bangalore airport to cost Rs. 450 crore more

Bangalore airport to cost Rs. 450 crore more

The Hindu

Air passenger traffic will go up by three times, says Yediyurappa

BANGALORE: The air terminal building has been redesigned to handle the increase in air passenger traffic at the Bangalore International Airport, which is expected to go up three times than the proposed four million passengers by April 2008 when the airport will become operational.

Disclosing this to presspersons here on Saturday, Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who reviewed the project along with Vinay Kumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Infrastructure, and others, said the air traffic passenger will increase to 11 million by April 2008.

Mr. Yediyurappa, who holds the Finance portfolio, said that earlier, it was planned to build one runway. But the expected increase in passenger traffic might require another runway. He said the project cost might escalate from Rs. 1,411 crore to Rs. 1,861.79 crore. This will be met with additional debt and not by additional equity or State support.

He said work on the airport is going on according to schedule and 13.5 per cent of the work has been completed. As much as 67 per cent of the work is expected to be completed by the yearend. He said the State's share of the project cost is Rs. 350 crore, which will not increase or decrease with change in the design.

Earlier, the Deputy Chief Minister held a meeting with senior officers and urged them to take steps for the speedy implementation of projects proposed in the budget. Chief Secretary B.K. Das, Additional Chief Secretary Agarval and principal secretaries were present.