Keep HAL airport for short-haul flights

Keep HAL airport for short-haul flights
DH News Service, Bangalore:
A majority of readers responding to a Deccan Herald debate on whether domestic flight operations at HAL airport should continue once the international airport is ready, sent in mails and e-mails expressing their support for the airport.

Even as the Devanahalli airport is set to open next year, the question uppermost in everyone’s minds is ‘does Bangalore need two airports? Most Bangaloreans feel so.
A majority of readers responding to a Deccan Herald debate on whether domestic flight operations at HAL airport should continue once the international airport is ready, sent in mails and e-mails expressing their support for the airport. While some felt the Chief Minister should initiate a revision in the agreement with BIAL, which says no airport would be allowed within 150 km of the new airport, others felt a revision was not fair on BIAL. Excerpts.

Amend BIAL agreement
It is heartening to note that Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has acknowledged the need for a second airport in Bangalore. If the agreement with BIAL is implemented, the HAL airport has to be closed down and even the government’s plans to have an airport in Mysore cannot be fulfilled, as even Mysore falls within the stipulated 150-km limit. Users of the HAL airport will be subjected to untold hardship if it is closed down.
The HAL airport should be allowed to handle domestic traffic. The State government should ensure the agreement with BIAL is amended.
V Shankar
President, HAL Airport Rakshana Samiti

Spare us the ordeal
The government must reconsider the operation of domestic flights from the HAL airport as we don’t see any logic in driving down to the new airport wasting two previous hours from the city centre to catch short-haul flights. Moreover, Bangalore’s road infrastructure is so poor it will be an ordeal for passengers to drive down to the new airport.
Damodar Nawka

Retain as alternative
The HAL airport should be retained as an alternative. Big cities like Chicago, New York and Paris have two airports to provide different services. If the government wants to close it for security reasons, domestic and international flights can be operated from Devanahalli. The present airport can serve with feeder services with helicopters to the new airport.
Y N Ayyadevara

B’lore needs two airports
The HAL airport should be retained for domestic flights. Bangalore is a fast-growing global city that needs two airports.
Susheela Deshpande

Devanahalli is sufficient
All flights — both domestic and international — should be shifted to Devanahalli for two reasons:
a) The sound pollution of aircraft flying is very disturbing for many as the HAL airport is in the heart of the City.
b) Having spent so much money on the international airport, it will be economically viable only if both international and domestic flights use this facility.
N Shivakumar

Operate in tandem
Both the HAL and Devanahalli airports should operate in tandem. If the HAL airport would be beneficial for people staying in Bangalore South and East, Devanahalli airport would be of more help for people staying in Malleswaram, Hebbal, Sahakara Nagar, Jakkur, Yelahanka, Vidyanagar, Chikkajala and, of course, Devanahalli town itself.
Vijay Srinivas

Reason for two
Bangalore is the third busiest city in India when it comes to air traffic. That’s reason enough for us to retain the HAL airport for domestic operations.
Subbaraman P S

Retain HAL till Metro
The HAL airport should be retained till the Bangalore Metro is fully operational. Metro should be extended till Devanahalli to reduce the travel time.
Anand Kashyap

Why waste infrastructure?
When an airport infrastructure is up and running in the heart of the City, why should we waste it? Nobody wants to spend more than an hour to catch a 45-minute flight. The Chief Minister should ensure the HAL airport is retained.
Ravishankar M K