Re-opening HAL airport: HC leans on Karnataka to seek Centre’s approval

The high court on Saturday reserved its judgment regarding public interest litigations (PILs) seeking the re-opening of HAL airport for civil and commercial operations.

City advocate GR Mohan, social activist RK Misra, Bangalore City Connect Foundation, Airport Authority of India Employees Union, and others have filed PILs seeking the re-opening of the HAL airport.

They had contended that the 142nd parliamentary committee on transport, tourism, and culture also recommended the re-opening of the airport, which was closed for commercial operations on May 23, 2008. 

According to the agreement signed by the Union government with Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), no airport could be allowed to operate within 150-km radius of BIA.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar directed all petitioners to file a joint memo on Monday, if they desire to urge the central government to consider re-opening of the HAL airport.

The bench will then issue directions to the central government to consider the re-opening of the airport. Otherwise, the judgment will be passed on merits of the case.

Individual petitioners have contended that the HAL airport, belonging to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, is the only airport in the city that can cater to the requirement of civilian air traffic, apart from meeting its obligation to handle defence aircraft.

One of the petitioners, B Krishna Bhat, an environmentalist and senior citizen, has contended that 7.8 lakh passengers used to traverse between HAL airport and the city centre, covering about 6 km in 20,000 vehicles everyday.

Devanahalli is at a distance of 40 km from the city. There are already 1,200 trucks plying on  Bellary Road. In the name of having a private international airport, the central government has ignored the interest of the common man, and they appear to be under the notion that all the rich travel by air.

He had strongly contended for re-opening of the HAL airport, at least for handling short-haul domestic air travel by citing the fact that travelling to Devanahalli for a flight of 25 minutes or 35 minutes for destinations like Chennai or Kochi is resulting in a waste of time and money for passengers who had to travel long distance to Devanahalli airport, usually by a cab,  to catch the flight.

In the light of shifting both domestic and international flights to Devanahalli, passengers have to travel a distance of 40km to Devanahalli. Let alone the railway line, even the road connectivity to meet this magnitude of traffic has not been laid. 

Interestingly, this is the ninth division bench that is hearing the case in the past three years. In one of the earlier hearings, the attorney-general had informed the court that it was the prime minister who took the decision to close HAL airport for civilian and commercial operations.

The Airport Authority of India Employees’ Union (AAEU) counsel BC Thiruvengadam said on Saturday that the notification by the central government asking for closure of the HAL airport on the grounds that there is a security threat is not correct. All VVIPs, foreign dignitaries, and the rich and famous s were using the HAL airport.

Under section 5A of Aircraft Act, 1943, the central government has closed down the airport for commercial use, citing security reasons. Under the Act, it was stated that if there is any security threat or threat to aircraft, they can close the airport. The security cannot be different for a VVIP and a common man. 

In this case, they have taken a unanimous decision without taking into consideration the interest of the employees, said the counsel.
The tripartite committee had recommended to re-open HAL airport and that report was accepted by the central government.

The parliamentary committee, too, had sought for reopening of the HAL airport. Despite all this, the airport remains closed.
The counsel representing the Airport Authority of India, KG Raghavan, said that AAI has to abide by the central government’s decision. The central government had asked the HAL to be closed; hence it was closed.