BENGALURU: The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL’s) efforts to mobilise `1,000 crore towards the Nagavara-Kempegowda International Airport Line by hiking the existing User Development Fee levied on passengers received another setback on Thursday. It was meant to be imposed as a form of Development fee for the connectivity provided by Metro. A high-level meeting was held in this regard in New Delhi.
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERAI), which has to take the final call on the issue, has informed Bangalore Airport officials as well as Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd during a high-level meet that such a fee cannot be imposed on airport users until the project (Metro’s airport line) is completed.
The present regulations on airports do not permit such a hike, a highly placed source told The New Indian Express. “An upfront levy may not be possible under the present rules for a non Airports Authority of India airport. However, it may be considered on completion of the project.”Asked about BMRCL’s response to it, a top Metro official said, “We are still hopeful. Even if we get the contribution later, it is not the end of the line.”
AERAI had made its stand clear as early as March this year when the proposal was sent to it as well as the civil aviation ministry by BMRCL and BIAL for approval.A senior AERAI official had told The New Indian Express over telephone from New Delhi then, “We cannot permit BIAL to collect a fee from passengers for a service not yet provided. Why should present passengers pay for a future project? We have conveyed the same in writing to airport authorities.”
BMRCL however wanted some portion of funding to come from BIAL as the line had been extended to the airport only for the sake of airline passengers. A senior official told Express it was persisting with its efforts to take the UDF hike okayed.
BIAL had proposed levying an extra fee ranging between `60 and `80 on airport passengers eight months ago to mobilise up to `1,000 crore for the proposed Airport line estimated to `5,950 crore.