BIA, HAL dispute carries on
Saturday July 5 2008 09:56 IST
http://newindpress.com/Ne...
Monica Jha
BANGALORE: The latest survey conducted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), on the passenger handling capacity of the two airports in Bangalore, indicates that there is just a minor difference in the capacities of the two airports, contrasting BIAL's claims.
The annual capacity of the HAL Airport has been found to be 6.5 million for domestic and 1.5 million for international passengers, the total capacity of the airport being 8 million.
However, the HAL Airport, if used only for domestic flight operations, can handle 9 million passengers per annum, the report says.
The capacity of Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) is reported to be 9.87 million. The annual air passenger traffic in Bangalore for 2007-08 was 10.12 million, more than BIA's reported capacity.
Earlier, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) had told the High Court that the actual capacity of the HAL Airport is 3.5 million, whereas that of BIA is 14 million.
The BIA website, on the other hand, reads: 'The current airport infrastructure is designed to handle over 11 million passenger movements annually.'
BIAL has been maintaining that BIA has the capacity to handle Bangalore’s air traffic and that the city does not need two airports.
BIAL, reportedly, has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to register its disagreement on the reported capacity of both the airports.
However, the difference in the reported capacities of the old and the new airport has raised many eyebrows.
The main reason for developing a Greenfield airport (BIA) in Bangalore was the capacity constraints of the existing (HAL) airport. HAL Airport was closed for commercial operations with BIA's commissioning on May 24 this year.
Doubts about the capacity of the new airport, therefore, raises questions about BIA's exclusive status in Bangalore. In view of the report, the new airport does not seem to be capable of coping with the growing air traffic in Bangalore, while the infrastructure at the HAL Airport is not being used efficiently.
Earlier, the HAL Airport, the people and the industries had suggested many options (domestic/ short haul/ small aircraft) to retain commercial operations at HAL Airport.
The High Court of Karnataka and the Supreme Court have also given directions about exploring the possibilities of renegotiations between BIAL and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, on keeping HAL Airport open for commercial operations.
BIAL Capacity only 9.87 million passengers ?
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Bayern ....................
Bayern
I welcome constructive criticism. and I believe you have a lot to contribute.
One of the reasons I switched off SSC, was the number of people who did not want to engage in a constructive debate. Bereft of facts, many people chose to attack me instead. That is something that does not happen at Praja, and is the reason for a lot better place.
I still look forward to your alternate viewpoint on the figures. It will be greatly helpful if you can show me an alternate way to analyse the figures.
-----------------------
Regards
Devesh R. Agarwal
Visit my aviation blog at http://aviation.deveshagarwal.com
Regards
Devesh
Bangalore Aviation
Enjoy life, destroy FUD
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petition in court not to expand BIA
In today's Hindu, there is a news article mentioning about such a petition. Link is: http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/19/stories/2008071961430300.htm
Excerpt:
The court asked the Airports Authority of India to file a report on air traffic in Bangalore by August 22 and reminded it that the 12-week deadline to file the report would expire on that date. Earlier, G.R. Mohan, one of the petitioners, filed an application seeking a direction to restrain the authorities from permitting the authorities to expand the BIAL airport.
The Bench has adjourned further hearing on the case to August 22.
Does anybody know the details of this petition? How to find out more about the concerns expressed in it?
Mr Devesh,You said area per
Mr Devesh,
You said in the post below that area per passenger is supposed to be a minimum of 25 sqm by prescribed standards. You said for Changi, HK etc it was about 80sqm. But then you go on to criticize BIA in how it used up its terminal space but without completing the scanario by giving BIA's actual per user space for domestic and international.
Please do give the actual figures- how much is the area in sqm per passenger at BIA for domestic and international passengers, with sources. The readers can then ascertain for themselves.
Thanks.
________________________________________________________________________________
How is terminal passenger capacity calculated
There is an international airport terminal design reference manual. In the manual it specifies the minimum space per peak hour domestic passenger should be 25 sq. mtr. For international it is more. That is used to arrive at the final annual figure.
More luxurious terminals like Changi, HKIA, etc., have 80+ 90+ sq. mtr. per peak hour passenger. Even DIAL T3 which is being prepared for the 2010 Commonwealth games is slated for 54 sq. mtr.
BIAL has dedicated so much space to retail that their passenger capacity is below what Bangalore achieved for year end March 2008.
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Regards
Devesh R. Agarwal
Not be surprised on petition to stop BIA expansion !
We need not be surprised about the petition in the Karnataka High Court for stopping the BIA expansion. The "Open HAL" bogey that has been unleashes is done with the vested interest and there is nothing 'beneficial to Bangalore' aspirations in that.
Each and every arguement that has been made against BIAL has been proved wrong or just not true. First it was connectivity - minimum 3 hrs. When that fell flat on their faces, capacity constraints became talk of the online forums and media. When this also failed unfortunately due to slump in aviation sector, then we heard "Death of LCCs due to BIAL" slogan started appearing. Then talk of high cost of ATF became talk of the town and is being cleverly dumped onto BIAL's fault list.
I am not sure where this will get stopped. When the BIA supposedly started media campaign to highlight their plans for expansion, it seems it came as a surprise shock. Looks like in desperation, the vested inetrests have resorted to PILs and petitions to stall what ever little BIA wants/would like to do with the airport. Now, it should be clear whether this bogey is "Open HAL" or "Close BIAL"?
If you had carefully followed all the events that took place prior to oepning of BIAL, you will not be surprised with this new development. Take the example of India Leader filing a petition with EC for stopping the opening of BIAL. Do we need any further sermons to ponder whether it is "Open HAL" campaign or "Close BIAL" persuit.
I am sure, for ordinary Bangaloreans like us, life will continue with or without BIAL. In the least my life can not be held hostage to PILs and media tit bits.
PIL against BIA Expansion!
First of all I don't Know who this GR Mohan is?? Well where on earth did he come from to file a Petition to stop expansion of the airport? Anyone knows the reason for this petition? Why is this being brought on our city now? What is the vested interest in doing so?
Its insane to do this when we are looking at building a city of dreams.. there are people always there to shatter it ..
Like Syed Sir says - if this is because of those who have vested interest in starting HAL and having govt run airports then I think its time for GoK to wake up now.....
>>Take the example of India
>>Take the example of India Leader filing a petition with EC for stopping the opening >>of BIAL
Even I was surprised by this. If petittion was filed with EC if govt announcing some benifits anticipating votes, it would have been fine. These people could contributed to address conectivity problem/other issue instead of stopping a infrastructure from opening.
We're the woodcutter!
User Interaction Designer
Bangalore
well this is India
kbsyed61,santsub,Nags123,narayan82,
Guys, well, this is INDIA!! :-) A corrupt system with corrupt politicians and bad populist measures along with vested interests and ill informed people ....:-) and this is what happens and keeps happening :-). I read the previous 4 posts which make absolute sense. We should be least surprised if HAL opens and a spanner is thrown to halt the expansion of BIA following which there will be more blame game blaming BIA for not expanding. In the meanwhile the very same people voiceforous about having 2 airports will do nothing about the basic necessities like - horrible road infrastructure NOR the sewage mixed drinking water (http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/37168439.cms
http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/13/stories/2008051355450100.htm) and we will definitely not see writ petitions or public interest litigations from the likes of GR Mohan.
Here is a joke on a lighter note - A scientist shows some students groups of frogs from different countries kept in their respective jars. All the jars are covered except the one containing the frogs from India. The students are curious and asked why that particular jar is not covered. The sicentist explains that in the Indian jar if a frog tries to rise(progress) and get out then the other frogs immediately pull it down so he is not worried about frogs escaping :-) but it is not so in the other cases.
There is a joke that inspite of our talents, India can be defeated by ourselves!! and there is not enemy needed to achieve that task! I agree with narayan82's assesment that we're the woodcutter.
AAI: BIA Saturated
http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/23/stories/2008082354710500.htm
Findings from AAI's “Report on Capacity Assessment and Study of BIAL”.
- BIA is the fourth busiest airport in India.
- terminal has reached saturation
point as BIA has an integrated terminal comprising domestic and
international departure/arrival wings. peak hour traffic at
international wing (terminal) of the BIA will be
saturated by 2009 while it has already reached saturation point in case
of domestic wing.
- During 2007-08, BIA handled 10.12 million passengers, of which 1.55
million were international passengers and 8.57 million domestic
travellers. During the last five years, Bangalore air traffic has
recorded
a compound annual growth rate of 33.4 per cent for international travel
and 29 per cent for domestic travel.
- The peak hour runway capacity
is 32 movements (of aircraft) against the
current projected demand of 25 movements per hour. The runway is likely
to reach saturation point by 2011.
- There are now 42 aircraft
parking bays as against the current demand
for 41 bays. 30 more bays are under construction and
once they are completed, the bays are sufficient to meet the demand for
the next five years.
- The car parking facility
is adequate for the next five years.
The commercial car parking lot has 2,000 parking slots for cars and 75
stands for coaches. In addition, there are stands for parking 1,200
cars belonging to the staff.
- Import cargo section is
near saturation while export and domestic cargo
bays have adequate capacities. Import cargo wing should have been
allocated higher area in preference to dwell time. The report says
import cargo capacity is 65,300 tonnes a year, domestic 56,548, export
2,28,000 and domestic 51,507 tonnes a year.
About the study:A team of AAI officials from its Directorate of Corporate Planning and Management Sciences (CP and MS) comprising D.P. Singh (General Manager-CP and MS), D.P. Singh (GM), Ms. Madhu Batre, Jt. GM, V. Krishnan (senior manager) and A. Pai (senior manager) had undertaken the study of BIA between June 16 and June 18.
Saturated?
I have used BIAL about 10 times in the last 1 month and I have never once seen it "saturated" with people.
I usually fly out between 6:00 and 8:00 - peak departure hour. I land at about 7:30 or so in the evening. Never has it taken me more than 10 mins to finish check-in and clear security. And when I land, I am out of the terminal (after collecting checked-in bags) in about 15 mins.
When I flew to Singapore last month, I counted the number of international departures. There were about 14 between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. That makes it 2/hr. I had no problem finding seating space. My expectations might be very low, and I really don't feel the need (personally) for 25 or 50m2 of space for myself.
This seems like a last ditch effort to keep HAL open. I am waiting for BIAL's response. If I were them, I would share actual passenger data over the last 3 months, peak hour movement, pictures of the departure area at peak periods, etc.
Srivathsa
Drive safe. It is not just the car maker which can recall its product.
The latest BIAL pics 6 Sep.
Hi Sri
Sorry, have been unwell. Was at BIAL on 6/Sep. Check out the latest pics. Detailed report soon.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dev.agarwal/BIAL_Visit_6_Sep_2008#
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28385486@N08/
Agree with most of your statements, except the peak hour crowding on domestic side. Not uncomfortable, but definitely needs to grow.
Have asked for the passenger stats and other details. Mr. Brunner was not there, but he has promised to meet me on his return. Should get them on his approval.
One message I got from my visit. We will engage with industry (since I went in my BCIC capacity), but we will not let outsiders dictate our business strategy, which I interpret as quit giving suggestions for the new terminal. :)
-----------------------
Regards
Devesh R. Agarwal
Visit my aviation blog at http://aviation.deveshagarwal.com
Regards
Devesh
Bangalore Aviation
Enjoy life, destroy FUD