Airport rap: now, it’s for roads

Airport rap: now, it’s for roads
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: The brickbats are flying in thick and fast at the Bangalore International Airport (BIA), Devanahalli. If the first one from the Centre was about design, the latest one is on lack of connectivity to the airport.
The civil aviation ministry has objected to the “lax attitude’’ of the airport company and the state government in organising connectivity. Holding up the GMR Hyderabad International Airport at Shamshabad yet again as the shining example (this time for “proactiveness’’), a civil aviation ministry official told The Times of India: “We want Bangalore to be as good as other airports. About Rs 1,200 crore worth of roads connecting the Shamshabad airport are in place, but nothing has moved in Bangalore.’’
He pointed out that all those involved in the Shamshabad airport — from the promoter to Congress government in AP — had moved pillar and post to get things done. “The BIA lacks this effort from everyone, be it the promoter or the government,’’ he said.
BIAL CEO Albert Brunner said: “We consider this statement baseless and cannot imagine that anyone from the Union civil aviation ministry can make such a comment.’’
The ministry is upset that the trumpet interchange connecting NH-7 (Bellary Road) with the airport and the dedicated rail link from Bangalore City to the airport site have not taken off. If work on a portion of the interchange has been stopped because of a court case on land acquisition, the rail link is still at the detailed project report stage, expected to take at least two years to be put in place.
“Where is the dedicated connection to the airport? The airport is due to open on April 2, 2008, but the people will be in a lurch because of dismal connectivity,’’ the official said.
Centre satisfied
Bangalore: The Centre has expressed its satisfaction over the response its recent letter over design upgradation at the BIA has generated. An official said: “The BIA and the Karnataka government are finally sitting up and taking note of our suggestions. Our intention is not to block the BIA, or harm its credibility, but to ensure it is on a par with other airports in the country.’’ TNN