Only one intl airport to operate in B'lore, says BIAL CEO

Bangalore, Oct 30 (UNI) Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) CEO Albert Brunner today said only one airport will be operated after the inauguration of the new airport at Devanahalli in March 2008.

Ruling out the possibility of operating the present airport after March 2008, Mr Brunner said ''it makes no sense to have two airports in the city,'' he said.

Speaking at the 'Round-table on Bangalore's Infrastructure - Connectivity to the New Bangalore International Airport,' organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industries and Commerce (BCIC) here, Mr Brunner took strong exception into the inordinate delay in providing highway connectivity to the new airport.

He said Bangalore International Airport Project would be completed well in advance and commissioned on March 31, 2008.

Expressing his displeasure over delay in completing connecting roads to the International Airport, he said while the project was nearing completion well in advance, the work undertaken by government agencies to build connectivity was proceeding at a snail's pace.

Claiming the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had awarded the contract to build a flyover to 'an agency which had never built bridges in the past,' Mr Brunner said BIAL intervened and assumed responsibility for the work.

It had only nine months to complete the work which could not be accomplished during the last five years, he said.

Mr Brunner said the BIAL had invested over Rs 2,400 crore to build the Devanahalli International Airport and other agencies which won contracts for cargo, ground handling and other related works had invested another Rs 1,000 crore so far.

''The expectations of growth potential at Bangalore International Airport has already been overshot and BIAL has to review its strategies to meet the challenge,'' he said adding there was a need to concentrate on improving connectivity.

UNI