
BENGALUR: Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday (January 22) made a strong appeal to the Public Accounts Committee in New Delhi to take urgent steps to open the HAL airport.
The PAC comprises of select parliament members and audits the revenue and expenditure of the Central government. Speaking to the TNIE, Surya said this option can be considered simultaneously with the ongoing move to identify an ideal location for a second airport.
“It would really help Bengaluru if three airports are operational. Global cities like New York, Paris and London have multiple airports,” he said.
The MP also mentioned that he met Hari Marar, the MD and CAO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates Kempegowda International Airport, two weeks ago.
BIAL had entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Civil Aviation that restricts the development of any new airport or upgradation of existing ones within a 150-kilometre aerial radius of KIA until May 24, 2032. BIAL will have completed 25 years of operations. Starting in 2033, new airports can be established in Bengaluru.
Given this agreement, the MP discussed the possibility of BIAL taking over commercial operations at HAL. “An agreement could be made with HAL to collaborate on this,” he suggested. In additions, the MP had written to the Civil Aviation Minister six months ago, recommending that South Bengaluru be considered as a potential location for a second airport.
He proposed Anekal or Bidadi as possible sites to help residents of South Bengaluru, noting that it currently takes them 2 to 2.5 hours during peak time to reach the airport.