Bangalore airport launch not before April end

It’s official. The launch of the Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) will be delayed till at least April end.
The Airports’ Authority of India (AAI) which has submitted a report on the status of the work related to CNS-ATM (communication, navigation and surveillance — air traffic management-communication) at BIAL, has said it would need at least four weeks to put in place a full-fledged air traffic control (ATC) including trained personnel.
The AAI has informed the ministry that the equipment would be installed at the ATC only by March 20 after which it needed four weeks for the “on-job training” of its air traffic controllers.
Two senior officials of the civil aviation ministry went on record to state that the BIAL inaugural had to wait because of this issue.
Said Secretary Ashok Chawla: “The opening of the airport has been postponed due to issues relating to air traffic control and safety. A decision on the opening will be taken in the next few days.”
Joint Secretary K N Srivastava, who was addre-ssing a press conference on the Delhi International Airport Limited, said: “We need three-four weeks more for airport opening”. No new date has been fixed for the airport launch, he added.
12/03/08 B S Arun/Deccan Herald

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Categories: Airports Mar 2008, New Mar 2008