BIAL team meets CM on expansion plans
Delegation sidesteps discussing stir planned by taxi associations against highway toll
A delegation of senior officials from Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) met Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda at his residence on Saturday. 
While it was assumed that the talks would cover the issue of fare collection at the toll booth near Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), the matter was not touched upon as BIAL officials only chose to present updated details of expansion of Terminal 1.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sadananda Gowda said the officials promised him that the expanded T1 would be inaugurated by March 2013.
“They assured us that within one year from now, all the work regarding expansion of terminal will be completed,” he said.
Gowda said with the terminal, BIAL is looking at doubling security forces, terminal area, commercial area, check-in counters and other facilities. There will be partial closure of facilities and runways in a phased manner from March 11 to April 3, between 10 am and 5 pm. This will not affect passenger and flight movement, promised BIAL officials.
They submitted a project report and Terminal 1 brochure to Gowda. After studying the report and a few proposals, the inclusion of the expansion of BIA in the State budget would be considered, said Gowda.
A senior official from BIAL, who spoke to Deccan Herald, said apart from the expansion plan, the delegation did not broch any other issue.
The controversy regarding collection of toll may result in taxi services being suspended as KSTDC has threatened to pull out operations to BIA if the toll booth starts functioning. When asked if this worries BIAL, the official said: “The problems regarding the toll booth and protest by taxi owners do not concern us. We are only bothered about airport premises and the ongoing expansion.”
Taxi and lorry owners’ associations are firm on their decision to stop plying on the airport route and put pressure on the government to stop toll collection.
Meanwhile, R K Gupta, Project Director, National Highways Authority of India, confirmed that they would go ahead with collection of toll from February 10. If no solution is found to the impasse, close to 25,000 taxis will stop plying and commuters may have to rely on the few private cab services.
