Yeddyurappa describes new Bangalore airport as shoddy

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has expressed his disappointment with the new Bangalore international airport and described it as “shoddy” compared to other airports in the country.

“It is shoddy compared to all other airports in the country”, Yeddyurappa said while speaking at a function in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Without elaborating on his critical observations of the Rs 25 billion Greenfield airport constructed by private consortium, Yeddyurappa said “I will not allow such things. Bangalore needs an airport of international standards”.

Yeddyurappa said his Government was planning to have an airport or an airstrip in all the districts of the state in the next two years.

Yeddyurappa bitter comments against the Bangalore international airport come close on the heels of his Cabinet colleague and Minister for Information Technology and Bio Technology Katta Subramanya Naidu called the airport a “poor cousin” of other airports of international standards including New Delhi and Hyderabad”.

After legislators cutting across party lines and Ministers came down heavily on the airport during a discussion in the Legislative Assembly recently, the BJP Government Government has announced the setting up a Joint Legislature Committee. The Committee comprising members from the Legislative Assembly as well as the Council will probe the alleged lack of sufficient facilities for passengers as well as visitors.

Former Minister and Congress leader D K Shivakumar, who had raised the issue in the Assembly said “The new airport is no better than an ordinary bus stand. It is sub-standard. There are no proper seating arrangements for passengers or visitors”.
The private consortium comprising Unique Zurich Airport, Siemens Project Ventures and Larsen and Toubro, which built the airport was also accused of deviating from the architecture, style and design of the airport as approved by the Government.