International airport to be named after Bangalore

Rejecting the demands of several organizations to name the international airport coming up on the outskirts of Bangalore after legendary personalities, the JD (S)-BJP Government in Karnataka has urged the Federal Government to name the airport as Bangalore International Airport.

According to an official press statement by Government of India’s Press Information Bureau, Federal Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel told the Parliament that the Government of Karnataka has suggested that the new international airport be known as Bangalore International Airport.

“As a matter of general policy, the name of the City is retained for naming the airport since passengers and visitors in general and foreign tourists in particular will find it easier to identify the airport when it is named after the City it served”, said Patel.

The Karnataka Government’s recommendation to the Federal Government on naming the international airport in Bangalore has poured cold water on the aspirations of people associated with various organizations, which had been campaigning for naming the airport after legendary personalities like warrior king Tipu Sultan, social reformer Basaveshwara and Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar.

Praful Patel also said that the new international airport coming up at Devanahalli about 35 kms from Bangalore would be open for operations in less than thirteen months from now. “The opening date of the new international airport at Bangalore, as fixed by the Bangalore International Airport Ltd, is April 2, 2008”, he said.

After the commissioning of the international airport, the existing Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) airport at Bangalore will be closed for commercial civil aviation operations, Patel said.

On the connectivity of the international airport at Devanahalli with Bangalore City, Patel said the work on six-laning of the national highway 7 was complete, except for two railway over-bridges, which were being constructed by the Indian Railways. While one over-bridge will be completed by May 2007, the other would be ready by the end of 2007, he added.