Discussions about resuming commercial operations at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) airport are intensifying Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament from Bengaluru South, revealed that a high-level meeting involving key stakeholders, including the Civil Aviation Minister, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), and HAL, will take place in Delhi in mid-March.
Situated around 13 km from Vidhana Soudha, HAL airport was Bengaluru’s primary airport until Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Devanahalli became operational in 2008. Surya believes reopening it would alleviate congestion at KIA, generate revenue for both HAL and BIAL, and enhance domestic connectivity.
The plan suggests HAL airport could focus on short-haul flights, facilitating business travel from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. “Visitors to Bengaluru can complete their work in areas like Whitefield and depart swiftly,” Surya noted.
Urban experts have mixed views. Civic analyst V Ravichandar emphasized maximizing existing infrastructure, while urbanist Ashwin Mahesh raised concerns about city expansion and policy consistency. He suggested upgrading railway stations instead.
Capt G R Gopinath, founder of Air Deccan, criticized HAL’s closure, advocating for competition among airports to lower fares and improve services. He also proposed additional airports in Hosur, Tumakuru, or Bidadi.
BIAL currently serves 75 domestic and 30 international routes, handling over 4 crore passengers in 2024.
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