AAI, in its submission, had stated that it is shifting the commodities and security gadgets from the HAL airport in Bangalore to tier II and tier III cities in the State to meet the ‘fund crunch.’

As the Airport Authorities Employees Union (AAEU) had moved the High Court against the shifting of HAL airport and obtained a stay, the AAI filed an affidavit before the Court seeking to vacate the stay dated July 23, 2009.

It had said that the civil enclave of HAL airport contains large number of chairs, trolleys and X-ray baggage machines, which are lying unused at the airport since May, 2008 and are being shifted to tier II and tier III cities to provide world class facilities. The application said that in absence of use and maintainence of equipment, they will become unserviceable due to rusting and corrosion. “Equipment like chairs may become unusable while lying unventilated at HAL airport since the day it closed.”

The applicant had stated that equipment will be put to public use, if the same is used in tier II and tier III cities, where the facilities available are a far cry from the standard of facilities at the civil enclave of HAL airport.

The applicants, pointing out that the airport terminals at Mysore and Mangalore are almost ready, had requested the Court to allow them to shift the equipment and allow them to commence the airports on schedule. However, the division bench headed by Justice K L Manjunath dismissed the application saying that it is belated as the final argument has already commenced.