Newstrack

BIAL to start operations from March 30, 2008

Gayatri Vijaykumar - Bangalore

The much awaited Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) will be operational from March 30, 2008 at exactly 00:01 hours. According to Albert Brunner, chief executive officer, BIAL, the construction and infrastructure advancements at the airport project site are progressing at a good pace and most of the work is in the final stages of completion. BIAL has announced that all flights scheduled to depart after 00:01 on March 30, 2008 will operate from the new Bangalore International Airport. To be completed with an investment of approximately Rs 1930 crore with an additional investment of Rs 750 crore by the concessionaires, BIAL is the first privately built airport in India. Private promoters hold a 74 per cent stake in the airport while the state holds the remaining 26 per cent.

The air traffic expected to be generated from Bangalore by April 2008 is estimated to be 9 million passengers. "Bangalore currently is the fourth largest airport in terms of traffic. Assumptions are that in the next five to ten years, air traffic volumes out of Bangalore will continue to grow between fifteen percent and twenty five percent per year," said Brunner. According to him, the land at the disposal of BIAL will allow them to develop the airport up to a capacity of approximately 50 million passengers a year. "The master plan of the new Bangalore International Airport has been developed to fulfill the need for an operationally efficient and passenger friendly airport for Bangalore. It ensures that the size and capacity of the airport facilities can be gradually expanded based on the passenger and cargo growth," Brunner added. The master plan of the BIAL not only includes provision of premium land for commercial real estate developments such as office parks, retail and entertainment as well as hospitality but also land reserve for a rail link to the city.