B’lore losing aviation shows to Hyderabad

B’lore losing aviation shows to Hyderabad
Sunday July 6 2008 11:23 IST

Hemanth C S

BANGALORE: The city was once considered the ‘Aviation Hub of India’ and the host for aviation-related events and exhibitions, due to its proximity to various state-owned aeronautical organisations, like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, National Aerospace Laboratories and other agencies.

However, today it is no longer the preferred choice for such events, as two of the country’s biggest civil aviation events and exhibitions are being held at other cities. Aerodrome India, an international exhibition and seminar for airport-related activities, whose inaugural edition was held in Bangalore in 2005, has moved out of the city, with its subsequent editions being held at New Delhi.

Now, India Aviation, the first international exhibition on the civil aviation sector, which will be held this Oct, will not be associated with Bangalore. Instead, Hyderabad will play host.

The exhibition, being organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, will be held at the Hyderabad Airport in Begumpet, which stopped commercial flight operations following the inauguration of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad earlier this year.

‘‘India Aviation 2008 will be the first event on civil aviation in India to be hosted at an airport. The show will be hosted at the Hyderabad Airport. Hyderabad has a strong presence of IT companies and star hotels, which will make the participants’ stay a comfortable one,’’ say the organisers.

They have complained in the past about the absence of proper infrastructure and sufficient accommodation facilities in Bangalore. The organisers of Aerodrome India, citing infrastructure constraints, had decided to hold the exhibition in Pragathi Maidan, New Delhi, after hosting the inaugural edition at Palace Grounds, Bangalore.

Wing Commander and former chairman of the Aeronautical Society of India AE Patrawalla said that poor infrastructure and road connectivity were the reasons why event organisers were opting for places apart from Bangalore.

‘‘Travelling takes too much time in Bangalore. With the new airport, there is only more trouble in store until road connectivity improves. The organisers have made the right move by hosting the show at an airport,’’ he added.