Will we get our HAL Airport back?

Bengaluru: The city’s HAL Airport has a chequered past. Constructed in 1940 by Walchand Hirachand, founder of Hindustan Aircraft Company (now Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd), as an aircraft manufacturing centre. The airport was Bengaluru’s only civilian air link until the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) was commissioned in May 2008.

Currently it is being used by HAL and the Indian Air Force carries out testing of its aircraft. But time and again many have lobbied to restart commercial flights from the airport. It may be recalled that shortly after KIA was opened, nearly 20,000 employees of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had gone on strike against the closure of HAL Airport.

In January last year, Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had appealed to the Civil Aviation Minister to reopen HAL Airport, citing its loss of revenue and its prime location. However, according to an agreement signed between KIA promoters and the state government, no airport can come up within 150 kilometres of KIA.

Aviation blogger Devesh Agarwal said, “I have always maintained that HAL airport should not be shut. Yes KIA should be the city’s primary airport, but HAL must be reopened for civilian regional flights. As it is India is an infrastructure starved country. Existing infrastructure such as HAL airport should not be completely shut down. Keeping HAL open for civilian traffic has benefits.”

He added that it would be advantageous to have HAL airport as an alternative. “Chennai is currently earmarked as the alternative airport to KIA so a flight if diverted for whatever reason has to fly all the way to Chennai. This costs more for airlines,” he opined.

Mumbai based journalist J. Jagannath, a regular traveller to Bengaluru, said the very commute from point of origin to the airport is hellish. “Every time I come to Bengaluru I spend an hour and a half on the road just to get to my destination. HAL airport was far more convenient. I recently flew from Bengaluru to Chennai for which I had to get ready five hours in advance. To top it all I spent two hours just getting to the airport. All for a flight that barely lasted 45 minutes.”

Manipal Global Education Chairman T.V. Mohandas Pai felt it would only serve the city’s interest if HAL airport resumes commercial aviation. “It would be a big advantage to have HAL handling civilian flights. ATR aircraft which operate on regional routes can be based at HAL. Besides KIA expansion will only finish in 2020.”

Stressing that KIA was touching its optimum capacity, Pai said, “If you go to KIA in the morning around 5 am you will notice the chaos. It is like a bus station. The city needs a second airport and HAL is the readymade answer.”

Technologist and urban exptert Ashwin Mahesh too felt it would be convenient for people in South Bengaluru, if HAL Airport was reopened.

But he pointed out that HAL airport has its disadvantages. “There is only one approach road and it is very narrow. A more feasible option would be to convert one of the upcoming townships in Bidadi into a brand new airport. This move would also pre-empt Tamil Nadu from building an airport at Hosur.”

KIA is expected to reach full capacity in the next fifteen years and second airport will help ease its load. A brand new airport may be a distant solution, hence HAL airport could be an option.