BIA to expand terminal block

BIA to expand terminal block
Temporary Measure To Address Capacity Issues
Anshul Dhamija | TNN

Bangalore: Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) is looking at a temporary expansion of the terminal block. This comes in the wake of capacity concerns at this new airport, which stemmed from Bangalore’s unprecedented growth in air traffic.
According to sources, senior officials of BIAL, promoters of the airport, said, “We need to temporarily expand to address capacity issues.”
Long queues at the toilet area and lack of adequate seating at the waiting area during peak hours have been reported at the new airport.
When contacted, a BIAL spokesperson in a written reply to TOI said, “At this point there is nothing concrete that we can confirm.”
Sources told TOI it will take another 2-3 years before BIAL can plan for the second phase of expansion, which would include a terminal block and a second runway. Until then, BIAL is looking at erecting a temporary structure that would help meet the requirements.
Bangalore reported close to 11 million passengers in the financial year Apr 2007 - March 2008. The city has achieved a 250% growth, in passenger traffic over the past three years. “However, there will be a contraction in the growth rate, due to the high fuel prices, and loss of passengers on the short haul flights to rail and road in the current financial year,” said an aviation expert.
However, BIA’s official website, www.bengaluruairport.com states, “The current airport infrastructure is designed to handle over 11 million passenger movements annually. Once the final masterplan is done, it can accommodate up to 50 million passenger movements annually.”
There are also suggestions that BIA should construct a low-cost terminal as in Singapore’s Changi Airport. While BIAL CEO Albert Brunner is known to have considered this suggestion, there is no indication of him being inclined to take it forward, said sources.
“At a time when oil prices are soaring and airlines are getting no respite from the steep taxes on aviation turbine fuel, low-cost carriers are struggling. So, there’s a need to have other alternatives to help low-cost airlines,” said an industry expert.
Earlier, Albert Brunner had told mediapersons that only after the airport opens and once the audited financials of the company are put before the company’s board, will the talks for a second expansion start.
As per the Karnataka Information Commission, the total investment made by the government in BIAL is Rs 434.94 crore (through equity as well as loans), funding from the consortium of private partners - Seimens-Zurich Airport-L&T is Rs 326.70 crore and a debt of Rs 1,185.09 crore had been raised through banks and financial institution and a sum of Rs 68.50 crore raised though internal accruals.
According to sources, BIAL’s temporary expansion would put to rest the issue of Bangalore having two airports.
The government is known to be monitoring the capacity situation at BIA, and the civil aviation minister had told TOI before BIA’s take-off on May 24 that “the ministry is not happy with this provision of having only one airport. The government is exploring all legal options to keep HAL open for some flights in the coming weeks or months.”