AAI to assess traffic projections at BIAL

AAI to assess traffic projections at BIAL

Staff Reporter

Once the report is received, the Centre will be better placed to renegotiate with BIAL

BANGALORE: The Centre, on Thursday, informed the Karnataka High Court that a team of aviation experts had been constituted to undertake a study to assess the expected traffic and capacity of the new international airport at Devanahalli, near Bangalore.

Additional Solicitor-General Aravind Kumar, who appeared on behalf of the Centre, told a Division Bench comprising Justice Rammohan Reddy and Justice Jawed Rahim that the Secretary of Civil Aviation had asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to assess the capacity of Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) at Devanahalli.

He said this suggestion was made at the second meting held by the Centre, BIAL, AAI, the State Government and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to renegotiate the issue of closure of the HAL Airport and levy of user development fee (UDF).

He said the meeting was held after a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court had suggested to the Centre and the AAI that it could renegotiate certain contentious issues with the BIAL.

Mr. Aravind Kumar said the AAI had agreed to complete the study by four weeks. Once the report was received, the Centre would be better placed to renegotiate with BIAL.