It is still Bangalore International Airport

It is still Bangalore International Airport

Staff Reporter

Centre yet to approve adoption of ‘Bengaluru’

BIAL has put up signboards without waiting for Centre’s approval

‘Board of Directors decided to change the name’

BANGALORE: The Union Government is yet to approve the change of name of Bangalore to Bengaluru but Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) seems to have jumped the gun and named the upcoming airport at Devanahalli as Bengaluru International Airport.

Although Kannada organisations had suggested to the State Government several names related to erstwhile rulers of the region, the BIAL board decided on the name and sent the proposal to Union Government for approval. Pending approval, the BIAL had already changed the name on its website. The timing of the decision had raised eyebrows as a popularly elected government was not in place.

Sources said the new international airport at Devanahalli could not be called “Bengaluru” International Airport till the Union Government approved the change in name.

“There is no question of officially changing the name to Bengaluru without getting approval from the Union Government,” a top State Government official, who has been associated with the BIAL, told The Hindu on Wednesday.

“The board of directors of the Bangalore International Airport Ltd. in its last meeting decided to send a proposal to the Government to use “Bengaluru” instead of Bangalore. Besides it was also decided to adopt a new logo for the BIAL.”

“However, the name Bengaluru can be used officially only subject to clearance by the Union Government,” the official said.
Prerogative

Meanwhile, the officials pointed out that it would be the prerogative of an elected government to name or change the names of the airports.

On the other hand, the BIAL said the company and its shareholders, when preparing for opening of the new airport, felt a clear need to focus on the destination (city of Bangalore) and not on the operator and hence adapted a new logo inspired by the flowers of the garden city.

The statement said: “The new Bangalore airport now has a new identity inspired by flowers of Bangalore City. It will reflect the reputation of Bangalore as the Garden City. Furthermore, we have adapted to the new city name as Bengaluru.”
Protest

Meanwhile, several activists of Kannada organisations on Wednesday staged a protest in BIAL worksite and obstructed movement of traffic from the National Highway 7 demanding the airport be named after the Bangalore founder Kempegowda.

Chief Project Officer of BIAL Sivaramakrishnan S. Iyer, who received a memorandum from the protesters, said the decision was left to the Centre and that the protesters should approach the State authorities to prevail upon the Centre to name the airport as Kempegowda International Airport.