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Bangalore airport opening now on May 10

Operations at the new Bangalore International Airport will now begin only after May 10, not March 30 as slated earlier.

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Incomplete ATC works cited as reason for delay

NEW DELHI: Operations at the new Bangalore International Airport will now begin only after May 10, not March 30 as slated earlier.

Delays in construction of air traffic control (ATC) facilities including the control tower, technical block, office accommodation of Airports Authority of India (AAI) personnel and issues like electricity supply, house-keeping and air-conditioning at the ATC facilities are being cited as the reasons.

“The delay is beyond the control of BIAL,” the airport stated in a release.

However, neither the airport developer nor the government is liable to pay a penalty since the delay is due to “operational” reasons.

But in Hyderabad, things are very much on track and the new airport at Shamsabad is scheduled for inauguration today.

The opening of both these airports, which is conditional to the old airports in these cities closing down, has created a furore not only politically but also among employees of the AAI, which manages most airports in the country.

Since Tuesday night, the unions of AAI employees had launched a ‘non-cooperation’ movement against the government across all airports in the country, demanding that the old airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore remain open. This strike has now been withdrawn.

Civil aviation minister Praful Patel told reporters after meeting representatives of the AAI employee unions and CITU that while the old airports in these two cities would not be handling commercial flights, “we will try to find ways and means by which the future of AAI employees at the old airports is secured.”

Patel has already said in the Parliament that the two old airports would continue to be used for general aviation (chartered and VIP flights), defence purposes and for national emergencies.

Patel also assured the House that “the interests of the AAI employees at these airports (Bangalore and Hyderabad) will be fully protected.”

b_sindhu@dnaindia.net

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