BIA gets a check-up

BIA gets a check-up


Express News Service
First Published : 01 Nov 2008 08:23:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 01 Nov 2008 12:54:44 PM IST

BANGALORE: The 21-member House Committee, which has been set up by the state government to probe the alleged violation of terms and conditions by the Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) during the airport’s construction, inspected the facilities of the BIA on Friday.

The visit to BIA by the committee members headed by Chickpet MLA Hemachandra Sagar, is the first after the committee was constituted a couple of months ago. The members, who travelled to the airport in a BMTC Vayu Vajra bus, paid a visit to the terminal building, ATC and the apron and runway areas.

The members are said to have posed a few questions to BIAL officials on the master plan, allocation of land and why the project cost shot up from Rs 1,350 crore to Rs 2,700 crore. The substandard facilities at the airport, which have been under the scanner of the government, connectivity to the airport from the city, passenger capacity constraints and the expansion plans were also brought up during the meeting with the BIAL officials.

The committee also raised the issue of re-opening the HAL airport and examined various agreements, including the controversial concessional agreement which does not permit another airport to operate within 150 km from the Greenfield airport which was thrown open to the public in May this year.

BIAL CEO Albert Brunner made a presentation on the facilities at the airport to the visiting legislators and explained BIA’s expansion plans to meet future requirements.

PEOPLE SAY: Members said that before the final report on the findings is submitted to Speaker Jagadish Settar, the Committee will seek the opinion of the people, for which a public meet will be held at the KPTCL auditorium, Cauvery Bhavan on November 10 at 11 am.The public can also send in details to the deputy secretary of the committee, room no 146, Vidhana Soudha, Bangalore on or before November 6. Those attending the meeting will have to bring their PAN card or voters’ identity card as proof.