More join HAL-cry

More join HAL-cry
From B S Arun, DH News Service, New Delhi:
It's just around 100 days to go for the opening of the brand new international airport in Bangalore but the debate over whether the existing HAL airport should continue refuses to die down.


After the airline bosses, the latest to join the cry for continuation of the HAL airport is its owner — the Defence Ministry. The ministry is understood to have written a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry a week ago to consider whether the HAL airport can continue to function after the international airport inauguration on March 28, 2008.

The Civil Aviation Ministry, however, has not taken a view on the subject so far. The issue is tricky as the concession agreement between the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) and the State and Union governments expressly prohibits functioning of the HAL airport once the new airport starts operating.

A ministry official told Deccan Herald: “We have to take into account the contractual agreement. It should not become a bone of contention between the BIAL and the aviation ministry. At the same time, we have to take into account the convenience of passengers. We may call the BIAL authorities shortly in this regard for a meeting. In any case, we have the right to decide who should fly to which point.”