Bangalore: 'Keep HAL Airport Open, Do Away with Fee' - HC
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore
Source: Times Now
Bangalore, Apr 17: The government of India has been issued an injunction order by the High Court. In a noteworthy judgement it has directed the union government to amend the earlier deal which required the closure of the old Bangalore Hindustan Aeronautical Limited Airport (HAL).
The High Court (HC) has urged the government to rescind the closure of the HAL airport, thereby enabling the airport to be re-opened for short-haul flights. This move by the HC is indeed great news for Bangalore's travel weary domestic flight passengers. They can now breathe easy since by this judgment travel to close destinations like Chennai and Mangalore would now become more convenient.
It may be recalled that it was largely due to the commissioning of the new Airport at Devanahali near Bangalore, that lead to the closure of the old HAL Airport for commercial civil aviation purposes. Now according to the High Court's directive, the government has been advised to renegotiate a concession agreement with the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL).
Moreover, the High Court has also questioned, if the User Development Fee (UDF) for passengers traveling from the new international airport may be removed. This is largely due to several petitions received by the High Court. Meanwhile, BIAL on its part has informed that these reversals will not have any impact on the opening of the international airport scheduled for May 11. According to informed sources, people who petitioned against HAL's closure reiterated the significance of this injunction order by the High Court.
According to one of the active petitioner’s analysis of the entire issue, the earlier agreement was made on the principle that there cannot be two airports within a radius of 150 km. However, despite this their contention while filing the petition urging for keeping the HAL airport open was that once the international airport opens on May 11, it will become jam-packed with air travelers from 'day 1'. Another petitioner opined that the new judgement will not have an impact on the opening of the BIAL airport. All the petitions were only made related to HAL remaining open, they clarified.