AAI allowed dismantling of equipment at Bangalore’s HAL airport

Bangalore: In a major relief for the Airports Authority of India (AAI) the Karnataka High Court on Friday allowed this nodal authority to dismantle equipment from the old HAL airport in the city. AAI develops and manages airport infrastructure in the country.

A division bench, headed by justice K Sreedhara Rao passed an order pursuant to an interlocutory application filed by AAI, which sought permission to dismantle equipment from the old HAL airport. AAI provided an undertaking that it would re-equip the airport with the entire necessary infrastructure in case the court ultimately allows the petitions seeking re-opening of the airport for commercial operations.

A number of individuals and entities including RK Misra, the Bangalore City Connect Foundation, AAI Employees' Union have filed separate PILs challenging the closure of HAL airport, with the inauguration of Bengaluru International Airport in 2008.

In its application, AAI had pointed out that the equipment, whose value runs into crores of rupees, was deteriorating due to disuse. It said it would like to make use of the equipment in tier-2 city airports, like Mangalore and Coimbatore.

The equipment AAI wanted to dismantle at HAL Airport includes CCTVs, explosives detectors, X-ray machines, AC plants, baggage scanners, conveyor belts, escalators, elevators and passenger boarding bridges.