The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : House panel to probe lack of amenities at airport

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Karnataka - Bangalore

House panel to probe lack of amenities at airport

Special Correspondent

— A file photo

A large crowd at the departure wing of the Bengaluru International Airport.

Bangalore: The State Government on Thursday agreed to the demand of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly to constitute a House Committee to probe the poor amenities at the Bengaluru International Airport which was opened for flight operations on May 24 last.

Minister for Tourism G. Janardhan Reddy said the Government had agreed to the demand of former Minister D.K. Shivakumar and others who sought to move an adjournment motion on the conditions at the airport. Speaker Jagadish Shettar will announce the members of the House panel in due course.

Opposition members demanded a House Committee to probe the alleged violation of the agreement by the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) and its failure to provide even basic amenities such as toilets and seats to passengers.

Mr. Shivakumar urged the State Government to annul the agreement and acquire the airport. He alleged that the BIAL was interested in amassing money utilising the concessions given by the Union and State governments.

Supported by the Leader of Opposition M. Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah and Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli (Congress), he said that the Government would have to forfeit only Rs.150 crore if it cancelled the agreement. The Government could decide, after the House Committee gave its report, on annulling the agreement or asking the airport to upgrade the facilities.

They alleged that the airport had no facilities compared to the Hyderabad international airport, and passengers, including VIPs, were put to hardship. Charging the company with cheating the governments, Mr. Shivakumar said they committed a blunder by entrusting the work to the consortium.

The government had given 4,075 acres of free land, Rs. 350 crore interest-free loan and stood guarantee for a Rs. 400-crore loan, apart from providing concessions such as tax exemption on materials purchased by it.

He also said that the State Government had given uninterrupted supply of water and power and would have to waive certain fees to the extent of Rs. 185 crore in the near future. He said that the company would make a fortune by selling the land, the market rate of which was around Rs. 5 crore. The company, he said, would earn Rs.150 crore and Rs. 600 crore from parking fees and advertisements also.

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