Upgrade old Bengaluru airport: HAL

Bengaluru: Even as the debate over the retention of the old airport in Bengaluru goes on, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has come forward to say that closure of its airport would only restrict airspace.
In a presentation made by HAL, the organisation explains as to why the old airport ought to be retained and upgraded. HAL says that the new Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahalli could reach a peak passenger load of 40 million a year and this could happen in a few months.
Citing reasons for the same, HAL says that the new airport has been allotted 40 per cent of the airspace in Bengaluru while the remaining 60 per cent is shared by the Indian Air Force station and the existing HAL airport.
The presentation also stated that the HAL airport at present is handling a passenger traffic volume of 8 million per year. Once the old airport is shut down and the new one operates exclusively, the passenger traffic volume will go up to 40 million which is five times more than the existing traffic. This means that the situation would touch a saturation point which in turn would be difficult to manage.
04/03/08 Vicky Nanjappa/Rediff

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Airports Mar 2008