Improve or we will take over, warns govt

Improve or we will take over, warns govt
Thursday August 7 2008 10:05 IST

Express News Service

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BANGALORE: The government on Wednesday threatened to take over the airport if private players in the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) failed to upgrade the facilities provided at the Bangalore Airport to international standards, as specified in the agreement signed between the State and BIAL.

Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology Katta Subramanya Naidu told reporters that the government would consider sacking the BIAL promoters if they failed to upgrade the airport.

“The BIAL has changed the original blueprint of the airport; besides, they have not provided basic facilities for passengers and VVIPs,” he alleged.

“There are no proper rest rooms even for those who work at the airport, supporting staff like taxi drivers, among others,” Naidu alleged.

The Minister claimed the government would be within its right to grant the airport contract to someone else if the present promoters failed to maintain the standards specified in the agreement.

Naidu also said that the government was determined to retain the HAL airport. “All major cities in the world and in India have two airports. Why should not the same standard apply to Bangalore?” he asked.

The Minister said that the agreement provides power to the government to take back the airport by giving the BIAL Rs 100 crore and making good the expenditure incurred by the developers on the airport.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, in consultation with presiding officers of the Legislature, will soon set up a Joint House Committee to probe the alleged lack of facilities at the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli on the outskirts of the City.