Its official, its 11th May

13 March 2008 - 9:13pm — shas3n

It is official. The new opening date for the Bangalore International Airport is 11th May. Below is the message from BIAL:

New Airport Opening Date for Bengaluru International Airport is May 11, 2008

Bangalore, March 13, 2008

We have received communication from the Ministry of Civil Aviation seeking a consideration of a suitable airport opening date after May 10, 2008 due to delays on the Air Traffic Control (ATC) services. BIAL has decided the new date of Airport Opening as May 11, 2008.

We are clearly disappointed with this delay especially as our employees and all our partners have been working tirelessly to launch Bengaluru International Airport on schedule on March 30, 2008. This delay is beyond the control of BIAL. To mark the successful readiness of the airport infrastructure, BIAL will hold an event to showcase the new airport on March 28th 2008.

It is indeed sad to see things being called off at the last moment. I cant even fathom financial and logistic nightmare this has caused airlines, airports and everyone related. I fail to understand what the ministry was doing all these days?

The silverlining is that BIAL team has worked so hard and met their deadline as promised. The very fact that a delay of about 40 days makes it infuriating indicates the path we have travelled from infrastructure projects that used to be out of schedule by years and decades. Way to go BIAL!!

Comments

Nothing new

vvnagan - 13 Mar 2008 - 11:51pm

Bangalore's image has taken a beating again. I agree with you, BIAL has done a wonderful job in getting the airport ready on time.

- vvn

Sad

santsub - 14 Mar 2008 - 12:22am

So all the new International airlines and national carriers will use HAL but what about the new ones that were to start from BIAL? what about the new direct flights in to Blore? Will they wait until it opens on May 11th?

Bangalore has always been a great city because of its people and never because of any govt except for a few.. - hope May 11th it will be.

Chance to convert this shortcoming/joke into an oppurtunity....

kbsyed61 - 14 Mar 2008 - 12:56am

I don't think the delay would make any dent to Bangalore or its reputation.

Now BBMP has another chance to put its act together for completion of all the underpasses for signal free ride to the BIAL. Let's figure out a way to pressurise BBMP and its clan for speedy works andtimley finishes.

Any takers on this ??????????

Challenge for BBMP

silkboard - 14 Mar 2008 - 10:47am

I agree with Syed. Let us look at this as positively as we can, and make this a challenge for BBMP etc to put all short term fixes in place. I hope that all leaders, self-appointed, elected by people or TV audience, instead of fighting over HAL, will spend their energy in helping and pushing BBMP, Traffic police etc to enhance ORR, put magic boxes in place, identify and start work on alternate routes (other than Bellary Road) that can be used from East or North West side, and perhaps make SWR think local urban transport for Bangalore.

But last 3-4 months have been really shocking and funny to me. All agreements (BIAL vs HAL), connectivity issue have been up on our face for close to three years now, and we get noise all this noise only towards the end. Thank god for their is no elected government ruling right now, or else it might have been uglier, with dharnas and jams and those things.

No brainer

navshot - 14 Mar 2008 - 10:48am

As I said earlier, its no brainer... why can't we just go for magic boxes at all junctions on the ring road?

-- navshot

Questions to BIAL

blrsri - 14 Mar 2008 - 11:06am

Curious to know BIAL's stand on the ATC issue..they have claimed themselves to have the prior experience in building and maintaining airports but how did they miss on ATC?

Agreed the AAI might have faltered and so the aviation ministry...but what surprising is BIAL being aware of international norms how could they go about announcing opening dates with ATC not being ready?

I was waiting for an announcement from them like they flying in experienced ATC folks from their other airports(international) to train and set-up/run the ATC here..

Between got to mention that electricity supply, house-keeping, air-conditioning reasons mentioned by Aviation ministry sounds absurd and out of sense!

They did much publicized dry runs of checking the checkin process with people and all but what about the ATC?

I suspect some foul play

nagarjunareddyp - 14 Mar 2008 - 4:47pm

I am suspecting some foul play from the ministry of civilian aviation. If they are really concerned about that 1000 hrs of dry run of ATC, let them reveal when the Hyderabad airport has started that and they should have informed BIAL ahead. I dont remember any news from HIAL website that this has been started or something related to that. Unfortunately this delay is stopping the new international airlines to start operations from Bangalore for 6months. But we must say that BIAL has done a remarkable job in finishing the airport in time.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/no-new-international-flights-to-blore-for-5-months/61171-3.html

Airport May not Open on 11th May

pbatny - 21 Mar 2008 - 12:45pm

If the state elections happens on 3rd week of May, the airport opening and commissioning will happen only after the elections. The model code of conduct by EC will ensure there is no public cermony can happen once the elections schedule is annouced. The window of opportunity for ingauration is from now to till the date of election schedule annoucement.

I suggest BIAL, GOK and MoCA to at least ingurate the airport as per plan on 28th March and can commission the airport on May 11th.

I am planning to write a email to BIAL (esp to Mr. Brunner) suggesting the same.

Prasad

The real culprits here are

mcadambi - 21 Mar 2008 - 1:19pm

The real culprits here are AAI and BBMP. AAI should be held culpable more because it is deliberately causing operational delays and faces conflict of interest in it's stake in the HAL airport.

With regard to BBMP - the less said the better. Atleast now, it does not have to deal with thieves like H D Revanna.

It is possible for May 11 start - Make it Non-Political event !

kbsyed61 - 21 Mar 2008 - 7:04pm

If the inuagration can take place without any politicians or any political colors, I don't think it is violative of the model code of conduct by EC. The code ensures that the candidates do not get any undue advantange due to such events and its publicity. Other wise if it is purely a public event it shouldn't be a problem. Also it doesn't fall under model code, since the date of inugartion was anounced much earlier than the election anouncements.

India a 'fraud haven

bangalorean - 21 Mar 2008 - 11:28pm

India a 'fraud haven,' says report. This is not said by me, but an separate report conducted by KPMG, check the report given below.

http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/mar/18fraud.htm

I am really ashamed to read such a report on India, but i feel it is true. Moral values have come down, which we are witnessing this in our day to day life, and we are used to it so much that we donot care any more. Starting from simple traiffic violation, big unauhorized construction or even heneous crimes can be waived off by paying bribes in India.

Corruption has reached such enormous levels that, sustainance from here onwards is going to be very hard if it continues like this. All the topics we are discussing and complaining about has been the result of corruption in one level or the other.

If this is the case, then pls imagine, what would be the plight of Bruner, who has invested crores of rupees and have to pay crores as kickbacks ............. Such a national loss. I think thats the reason why foreign institutions are skeptic in comming forward for infrastructure development. IT is a different issue....... Foreigners cannot work in Indian environment.......

May 11, taking off without the mantris

tsubba - 11 Apr 2008 - 8:30pm

Poll code in, BIA launch event off B S Arun, Deccan Herald The Centre has done away with the inaugural function of the Bangalore International Airport (BIA) which was to be flagged off by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in view of the ensuing elections in Karnataka. With the Assembly polls announced by the Election Commission, the Prime Minister’s Office indicated to the civil aviation ministry not to hold the function to open the airport. Following this, the ministry has decided to cancel the event. However, this would not affect the operational activities of the Bangalore Int’l Airport, which will take off from May 10-11 midnight.

BIAL to get licence by April End

santsub - 12 Apr 2008 - 7:03am

The Bangalore International Airport (BIA) may not hit any air-pocket this time after all. The civil aviation ministry is satisfied with the progress achieved so far regarding safety issues at the new airport and plans to issue licence by April-end. Refer Deccan Herald Apr 12

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