The Hindu Business Line : New Bangalore airport opening delayed

New Delhi, March 10 The opening of the new airport in Bangalore will be delayed by two-to-four weeks. A clear picture on when the new airport will open is likely to emerge after a meeting between the Chief Secretary, Karnataka, and the senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation here on Wednesday.

The Chief Secretary is also the ex-officio Board Chairman of Bengaluru International Airport Ltd, the company set up to run the new airport. The airport was earlier scheduled to open on March 30. However, a delay in training of Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), who are to handle aircraft movement at the new airport, will lead to a delay in the opening, a senior Government official told Business Line.

“Training of the air traffic controllers cannot be compressed by the scheduled opening date. We will advise the airport operator to have a re-look at the opening date,” the official added.

Asked whether the Government which is a minority shareholder in the project will be able to delay the opening of the airport, the official said, “Our reason for seeking a delay has more to do with safety and security issues.”

The Director General of Civil Aviation, Mr Kanu Gohain, is expected to visit Bangalore soon to take a view on the preparedness of the new airport prior to issuing an operating licence, officials added.

Meanwhile, the employees of Airports Authority of India have threatened to go on a non-cooperation agitation from midnight on Tuesday to protest against the Government decision to close the existing airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore when the new airports open there. the Joint Convenor, AAI Workers Union, Mr M.K. Ghoshal, said, the decision to go on a non-cooperation movement was taken after talks between Left leaders and the Secretary, Civil Aviation, on the future of the existing airports broke down.