HAL airport: HC order on April 16

HAL airport: HC order on April 16
Bangalore, DHNS:
The High Court will deliver on April 16 its order on plea for staying the proposed closure of HAL airports commercial flight operations on opening of international airport at Devanahalli.


The court heard the issue raised in four PILs on Thursday and reserved its orders regarding prayers for interim relief of stay.

City advocate G R Mohan and three other residents had filed PILs against HAL airport’s closure, raising issues of hardship to short-haul flight passengers, air traffic congestion and poor connectivity to Devanahalli airport.
The division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice Ravi Malimath heard the matter for two and a half hours - from 4.15 pm to 6.45 pm - beyond court hours.

Petitioners said closing existing airport will be against public interest and pointed to the recent parliamentary committee recommendation to retain HAL airport.

The Centre said the issue was commercial non-viability of two airports. The CJ enquired whether commercial considerations had remained same. CG counsel replied there was a moderate change.

Contesting against grant of stay, BIAL Counsel Uday Holla said HAL itself had slated establishment of another airport for commercial and civil aircrafts.

User fees

The CJ suggested that BIAL reduce user development fee and the latter promised to examine the same. “Higher UDF may be an indirect way of helping Mr Lalu (Yadav) since high flight prices will drive people towards trains,” the CJ quipped.

Air traffic

A petitioner counsel said: “Presently air traffic in Bangalore is 10 million passengers per annum. BIAL’s agreement was drawn considering air traffic at 6 million passengers and hence, sharing some with HAL Airport that has capacity for 3.5 million passengers will not affect the company’s interest.”

To this, CJ quipped: “Although Karnataka Government has banned lottery, BIAL has got a lottery.”
During the hearing, the Chief Justice also commented: “I know you (BIAL) are a commercial establishment but even a commercial establishment can take a people-friendly stand.”