Passengers give the thumbs up

Passengers give the thumbs up
DH News Service, Bangalore:
It was the moment Bangalore was waiting for. When it did arrive, it was captured in all its glory, as thousands of cameras clicked away the first passengers to arrive.

As Indian Airlines flight IC 609 from Mumbai made a touchdown at exactly, 10:35 pm, the first passenger Sheela Shenoy, a techie from Infosys and a resident of Bannerghatta Road, had this to say.

“It is a proud moment for Bangalore and Karnataka. The airport is wonderful. Connectivity should not be an issue as long as good roads are provided,” she said.

Few seemed to have had great trouble in reaching the airport. At least no one wanted to complain, what with all the euphoria.

Passengers and their relatives who gathered at the airport were bowled over by the facilities at BIA, as the swank and swish airport greeted them in all its grandeur.

With NH 7, chock-a-block with airport passengers, platoons of policemen were deployed all along the road to Devanahalli. The trumpet interchange flyover, that was open to passengers was illuminated, all the way to the terminal.

Happy moment
V P Baligar, principal secretary (Infrastructure and Industry), who was present to receive the first flight, said the opening of the new airport is a very happy moment for the government of Karnataka.

Speaking to Deccan Herald on the issue of renaming the BIA, he said: “We have left it to the next elected government.The centre and the state will have to look into this. We are hoping to invite the prime minister to officially declare the airport open.”

Mr Baligar said that the HAL airport is closed, but the issue is open. “The high court has given us twelve weeks’ time to renegotiate. Public interest will be kept in mind,” he added.

BIAL CEO Albert Brunner, speaking to the media soon after the first flight landed, said though a formal inauguration of the greeenfield airport will be done later, a full fledged opening has taken place.

“Let us celebrate the opening. There are no regrets. We are confident of meeting future traffic requirements.” an ecstatic Mr Brunner said.

He said the BIA consortium will have to check and negotiate the user development fee for domestic passengers after a period of three months.

BIA had restricted entry to the arrival and departure terminal to journalists citing CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) restrictions in place.