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Bangalore, May 24: Ending all speculation over the role of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport after commencement of commercial flights from the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), the Karnataka High Court on Friday permitted the closure of the former by rejecting all applications filed to stay its closure for commercial operations.

The High Court directed Central and the State governments to negotiate with BIAL, adding that even after the negotiations if the Government thought that commercial operations at HAL airport were necessary, it may re-open it for commercial operations.

Ramesh Puthige, advocate for the appellant, B Krishna Bhat, said HAL airport should not be closed for commercial operations as the BIA was not properly connected by road.

Advocate General B V Acharya contended that connectivity was not a problem and one can reach the new international airport from Vidhana Soudha within one hour.

Principal secretary infrastructure, V P Baligar, maintained that one could reach the airport from Vidhana Soudha within 45 minutes. He said Bellary Road, which led to BIA from Vidhana Soudha, was expanded.

Of the eight traffic signals that came between Vidhana Soudha and BIA, six were provided with underpasses, he siad.

Metallic barricades would be erected on either sides of the existing road by August to prevent people and cattle from straying on to the road.

He also stressed that nowhere in the world was a road dedicated exclusively for the airport. Moreover, a six-lane overhead road over the existing road was being planned with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Baligar said.

BBMP commissioner, Dr S Subramanya, said the over-head six-lane road could be completed in 30 months from the date of floating tenders.

Assistant Solicitor General Arvind Kumar and BIAL counsel Uday Holla maintained that they were still open for negotiations.

The High Court Bench consisting of Justice Ram Mohan Reddy and Justice Jawed Rahim rejected all appeals that were filed before the Court to stay the closure of the HAL airport and directed the governments and BIAL to re-negotiate the agreement.

However, the Bench expressed surprise that neither the State nor the Central Government had given a thought to the connectivity with BIA in the intervening period despite having signed the agreement in 2004.