New Bangalore Airport

Today's news item on the new Bangalore Airport confirms my feelings on this new " state of the art" airport in Bangalore that was opened a couple of months ago.

To me, it is a classic case of how NOT to plan and construct a Brand new airport- especially in a place like "The Silicon Valley of India".

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has said yesterday, "International airport at Bangalore which has been newly constructed is not up to the mark. That is why I have formed the legislature committee -- they will go through and take the necessary decision. After the report, after the inspection we are going to take decision. According to all our legislators and experts and industrialists, they want to have one more airport. We want to retain that and are in touch with Central government. HAL airport we want to retain."

The agreement signed with teh develoeprs of the new airport clearly says that the old HAL airport shall be closed to make way for this new one. Add to it that the DGCA ruling that no two airports shall be located within a 150 km radius of each other.

So much so for consistency on civil aviation policy! I wonder what message this will send out to the proespective investors in other airports? I am sure GMR, Reliance etc must be a worried lot by now.. The last thing you, as investor, would want is to pump in billions of dollars based on certain traffic projections being relocated to the new facility, at the contract award stage, only to see it being snatched by Netas based on their whims and fancies, after the airport becomes functional.