Hyderabad airport holds up Bidar's dream

The Karnataka government's plans to start civilian operations at the Bidar airport (now controlled by the Indian Air Force) is likely to be delayed further as GMR Infrastructure Ltd, which operates the neighbouring airport in Hyderabad, about 140 kms from Bidar, is yet to withdraw its objections.
GMR Infrastructure had taken exception to the operation of the Bidar civilian airport. The terminal building was ready and the state government had obtained clearance from the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Defence Ministry to use the runway and other facilities at the Indian Air Force station on the outskirts of Bidar.
The state government has even acquired nearly 120 acres of land and constructed the new terminal building at a cost of Rs10 crore.
As per the concession agreement signed by GMR with the Centre, no new airport can be built within a 150 km radius from the Hyderabad international airport at Shamshabad. While the airport at Bidar was built much before the Hyderabad international airport came up, Karnataka now wants to modernise it with new facilities.

A senior official in the state infrastructure development department said the government had offered to hand over the operations of Bidar airport to GMR. But the company has not accepted nor was ready to even share profits with the government.
11/11/10 Mahesh Kulkarni/Business Standard/Sify.im

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Categories: Airports Nov 2010, New Nov 2010