Agencies

NEW DELHI, May 6: The new Rs 2,500 crore modern airport at Bangalore can’t open on May 12 as the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to redress the grievance of some citizens who want both the old and the new commercial airports remain functional.

Initially, the airport was to come into operation on March 30.

Expressing its concern with the problems that a group of Bangloreans highlighted in their petition saying that both the airports —- the old one at HAL and the new one at Devanahalli - be kept in operation, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to look into their pleas.

A bench of chief justice K G Balakrishnan and justice Mukundakam Sharma rolled the matter back to the government’s court for a solution.

Additional solicitor general Gopal Subramanium argued said that the civil aviation submitted has called a meeting on May 6 to discuss the advise of the Karnataka High Court.

The government will consider their petition in accordance with law, Subramanium assured.

Lawyer Harish Salve who appeared for Bangalore City Connect Foundation, an NGO, submitted that the petitioner did not object to the opening of the new airport, but they wanted the HAL airport to be used for short-haul domestic flights for the convenience of the public.

‘’It is therefore submitted that the high court clearly erred in failing to direct for continued operation of HAL airport while itself directing the Union of India to renegotiate the terms of the concession agreement on this issue,’’ he added.

“Whatever be the situation, the government should not have any objections,’’ Salve argued.

On April 17 last, HC refused to pass an interim injunction against the Union Government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) against closing down the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Airport for commercial operations.

But, HC asked the Centre, the Karnataka government and AAI to immediately consider its suggestion for renegotiation with Bangalore International Airport Ltd, the promoters of new international airport at Devanahalli.

The concession agreement with the aviation ministry allows BIAL to charge the airport user fee of Rs 675 on domestic travellers and Rs 955 on international travellers.

User groups have questioned this levy.

The government has however made it clear to the stakeholders that they would have to compromise on the concession agreement, sources said.

The 40-day postponement to May 11 to launch the airport operations has cost BIAL Rs 4,000 crore.