Decision about HAL airport next week

Bangalore/New Delhi: The stakeholders of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) will meet next week to examine the possibility of renegotiating the concessions agreement.
This follows the Karnataka High Court's suggestion to the Centre to renegotiate with BIAL on keeping HAL airport open and charging a minimal user development fee (UDF).
Civil aviation secretary Ashok Chawla on Tuesday said: "Representatives of the Airports Authority of India, BIAL and Karnataka government will attend the meeting."
"The meeting will examine the possibility of renegotiating the agreement with BIAL on two issues - closure of the existing airport and charging UDF - in pursuance of the high court order," Chawla said.
On UDF, the ministry has asked BIAL to charge Rs 100 for domestic short-haul flights and Rs 200 for domestic long-haul ones after the initial three-month waiver ends.
But there's an element of gloom too. The take-off of BIA has hit turbulence again. Speculation is rife that the opening of the airport will take place only after May 25 - when counting of votes to the state assembly will be held.
23/04/08 Anshul Dhamija & Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Apr 2008