RAMYA KRISHNAMURTHY writes from Bangalore: Despite what Infosys’ T.V. Mohandas Pai told us, the new Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) hasn’t seen IT business plunge “by 30 per cent”. Despite what V. Ravichandar told us, Tamil Nadu hasn’t announced a rival airport in Hosur.
Despite what Janagrahaa’s Ramesh Ramanathan told us, nobody has found any issues with “connectivity” although a few poor souls have perished in establishing that. And despite what Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said, a grave “crisis” hasn’t come upon us due to the new airport.
Yet.
In fact, having used the airport more than a few times in the last couple of months, I would do two things. One, I would publicly disavow my initial apprehensions and declare it the most magnificent “public” structure Bangalore has built since the Vidhana Soudha, and that was 50 years ago.
The new airport is everything the old HAL airport was not—clean, unfussy, functional, well lit, and passenger-friendly with lots of space to walk around, park the car, etc. Above all, it is the best advertisement for “Brand Bangalore” than the cattle fair the old airport was.
And two, I would publicly vow to take the “wisdom” of Bangalore’s self-apppointed “experts” who have “seen the world” with a pound of smooth-flowing iodised salt, and not just on the airport but on any issue, henceforth.
The only problem I have with the new airport are public transport costs.
Mysore to Bangalore: Distance 140 km. Fare by KSRTC-run Volvo bus Rs 200. Approximately 20-30 passengers on board. Translates to roughly Rs 1.5 per km.
Majestic to Devanahalli: Distance 35 km. Fare by BMTC-run Volvo Rs 125. Approximately 10-15 passengers on board. Translates to roughly Rs 3.5 per km.
Any wonder BMTC claimed a few years ago that it was the only profitable public transport system in Asia?
Profitable, yes, but “public” transport?
Photograph: Prashant Krishnamurthy
Also read: Edifice complex complex kills our cities, then our citizens
I’ll have to agree with “clean, unfussy, functional, well lit, and passenger-friendly”. That was my first impression too.
But the construction quality (rather, the ‘finishing’ quality) is not up to expected levels inside the building. Raw wires on walls to the lights mounted near the roof. Paint on glass. Cement on glass. Cement plastering (or may be the putty finishing) looks like crap in some places. Typical low quality finishing work seen in our country, I guess.
I also did not notice any power sockets anywhere to plug in a laptop. Pretty basic facility considering that the airport offers free WiFi.
Talking about fares to Mysore, wish KSRTC had direct bus services to Mysore from BIAL. It takes more than 6 hours from the new airport to Mysore (catching the BMTC bus to Majestic or the satellite bus stand and then a KSRTC bus to Mysore). Would that cost Rs. 325 then? ;)
Ramya, no one would disagree that the new airport is magnificent and was badly needed all these years. But what still confounds is the closure of the HAL airport as a part of the deal (as it happened in Hyderabad as well). This is as bad as the license raj of the 70s, when one businessman bought a exclusive permit and shut out the rest of the competition. All our major cities need two airports – that’s one way to overcome the problem of connectivity.
I agree that the new Airport is thousands of time better than the Cattle-shed cum HAL airport. But I wouldn’t go as far as to call it ‘Bangalore’s best building since Vidhana Soudha’ – that seems to be a little far fetched. In any case, it cannot be denied that this Airport was long needed, and its a relief to get some relief from the old Cattle shed airport.
Doosra:
Probably the HAL airport could have been kept open, but the point is, once a contract is made, and a deal is signed, you cannot renege on it. It is wrong to protest and make a hue and cry at this stage, as some have been doing. Most advanced first world cities have an Airport well outside the city, similar to our Devanahalli Airport. But they also have expressways/freeways/autobahns/autostrades which make it easy to reach any part of the city in less than an hour. They also have Trains/Metros/Bahns which provide seamless connectivity.
This is the path Bangalore needs to take. It is stupid to expect an airport near the center of the city. The current airport and its location is fine, all we need are the peripheral ring roads and the ‘high-speed rail link’.
Though I guess even God does not know when we will have the privilege of the above two, especially the second!!
Ramya,
People commuting to near by cities like mangalore, chennai reach quicker by road than with the new airport
If you presume that there is no crisis, well thats because you are forced to use that route – no options – wait till an option comes up and you can see the drop in revenues for the new airport.
I totally agree with doosra on license raj business, customers should have every right to use things to their comfort not for BIAL.
I think people who are cribbing about the old HAL airport are pretty shortsighted. These are also the kind of people who will crib and whine for anything and everything in this world.
There is a poem in kannada, which I had read when I was in primary school. It goes something like this…
Chali kaala bandaaga eshtu chali endaru…
Malegaala bandaaga haalu male endaru…
Besigeyalli balu bisilu endaru..
Not the exact words, but pretty much sums up the poem.
These whiners are like that. As long as there was the old airport, they were whining about the bad facilities etc. When the new one opened and was offering all services, suddenly they are finding virtues with the old one.
Couple of days back there was a news item in which the BMRCL was mentioned to be opposing the NHAI’s proposal to build a road to airport on the grounds that people would use the road free of cost as against paying for the metro fair. Which looks fair for me. After all BMRCL is spending thousands of crores to build the infrastructure and they are very much right to demand that no alternate mode of transport be allowed.
Just out of curiosity I am asking this. I am sure a large number of readers of this forum would have gone to the cinema at PVR/Inox/Fame/Fun Republic. These guys make a huge fuss even to allow a bottle of water inside the premises. They force the public to buy the softdrinks/popcorn etc at the super inflated rates. Have we not accepted this keeping our mouths shut??? If we can adjust ourselves for a mere coke and popcorn, I am sure, in the interest of the city and its infrastructure, we can also adjust to the new airport.
Looks are subjective. Best building since Vidhana Soudha, may be not.
The fact is we need a clean, functionally good and passenger friendly airport and BIA is truely one and not a glossy show-piece airport which is not user friendly.
Connectivity – I live in Banashankari which is roughly 45-48 km to the airport. Travelling the distance during peak hours was not like what was claimed by these self appointed custodians of Bangalore. BMTC Volvo service was really comfortable.
MOCA now claims that an airport handling 10-12 million pax should have around 150000 sqft of terminal space, I wonder what made them not to realise this when the work on the airport was going on or at the design stage itself. After all, AAI, Central/State govt have stakes in BIAL.
But it is also a fact that BIAL has totally underestimated BLRs growth interms of aircraft movements and passengers. BIAL has to immediately work towards the second phase of the project – second runway, terminal and other allied facilities.
We have a good airport atlast, lets recognise it. of course there is scope of improvement and these needs to be taken care of as the airport goes along
KSRTC is the best public transport in the entire south Asia. No other state or country has such a wonderful public transport. Please give them the credit they richly deserve. Same is the case with BMTC.
(sorry all the links are from same site. Not intending to spam here, but the content is very relevant)
These IT-BT folks are very funny.
Here is an open letter to RK Misra who are apparently acting on behalf of these IT BT folks (http://www.praja.in/bangalore/blog/kbsyed61/2008/05/17/open-letter-r-k-mishra)
And here is our beloved Ms.Shaw’s pompous response (http://www.praja.in/discuss/2008/05/kiran-mazumdars-reply-mr-cn-kumar)
Common man’s views:
An anthology of personal experiences at BIAL at http://www.praja.in/bangalore/discuss/2008/05/bial-experiences
About Volvo:
In spite of the high price, the airport volos are still bleeding. The cause apparently is that there are too many routes with too high frequency. An alternative proposed at http://www.praja.in/bangalore/blog/narayan82/2008/07/10/bias-%E2%80%93-routes-and-frequency
one of the most fundamental infrastructure additions to Bangalore perhaps since Sir MV commissioned the TG halli.
but its ops are mighty opaque. folks are fighting to get it to open up on RTI.
ramya…
bmtc is actually making losses on vayu vajras. its profits are mostly in running public transport of which it is a monopoly.
vajras making losses not because of high ticket prices, but because of nature of the problem. bangalore bound vajras receive more patronage than bial bound vajras. they run routes from 9 different locations within the city.
if you are interested there is a lot of info about and analysis on bmtc ops available.
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Aug82008/editpage2008080783324.asp
A rail link and everyone will be happy with the location of the airport.
BTW, I was hoping Churumuri will highlight this report:
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Aug212008/scroll2008082185764.asp?section=frontpagenews
‘Have car, will drive’ is the motto here
Car-owning Bangaloreans are more concerned about their comfort and convenience rather than environmental or traffic issues, and are unaffected by the rise in fuel prices, revealed a recent sample survey by a City-based firm.
I have not seen the new airport, but the old one of HAL was nothing short of a disgrace. As Vinay has rightly brought out, what should have been planned along with the new airport was a high speed rail and road connect to the city. But, then India always makes mess of elementary coordination.
Some years back, a ‘friendship’ bridge was constructed by Japan over Yamuna. The bridge came up in time. But, believe this, the approach roads to the bridge which were not part of the project were nowhere in sight when the bridge was ready! I am sure there are many more such examples everywhere.
As to the airport building, Karnataka is already up there with great bulidings constructed after Independence. The Infosys GEC building in Mangaore is the next in the list.
Truth From Facts:
Not sure if that report was indeed ‘representative’ of the majority of car-owners in Bangalore.
When I’m in Bangalore, I drive to office everyday. It will take me at least 2.5 hours to reach office if I try to travel by BMTC (including waiting time). I will need to change three buses, and there is no guarantee that the buses will arrive and run on time. Spending 5+ hours everyday just commuting is an inhuman experience at best. By car however, I can reach in approx. 1 hour by using the ORR.
In addition, I generally end up spending a fair amount of time in Office once I’m in, and the average time I leave office is 10:30 PM. I simply cannot expect to travel by BMTC at this time. First of all, the frequency of buses at that time is almost NIL, and most routes do not run at all. Add to that the dangers of hanging around on bus stops late in the night.. it does not matter whether you are a college girl, or a retired banker, or a young IT professional. It is just too damn risky.
I don’t get any great pleasure by driving on the clogged roads of Bangalore, in the midst of rascally auto-drivers, thuggish BPO/Call center cab drivers and drunk truck drivers. I don’t enjoy spending Rs. 300+ on a daily basis just to get around. Driving to work is a compulsion for me, and one I would gladly get rid of.
Most of my acquaintances who drive to work are in a similar situation. They would prefer not to drive, but they need to, coz’ they don’t really have a choice.
I wonder what the risk is for a college teacher, working banker or an elderly IT professional in hanging around bus stops late in the night:)
Best Building in Bengalooru since the Vidhana Soudha! Well I wonder where the in between beauties like the Windsor Manor, The ISKCON Temple and structures like the Kempe Gowda Bus Nildana ( BMTC) and KR Puram suspension bridge fit in ??!!
ts,
a site nimda?…
I think the Airport is very nice though still smaller than it should be. However, I hear its still not complete and they are going to add more extensions? The loos also could be much better and bigger. But far better than what the old HAL airport was. Also, in a funny way its a nice break to have the airport so far away. In a lazy way, I am free from office earlier – and like that extra time to myself on a working day.
In my last 5 trips I have always taken the Airport Volvo home. I find it very comfortable & easy ride. And I especially like the pride with which the conductors operate and the ease of watching the world around while I am driven. Have not done that for ages!! Within the city I am tired driving around and wish we had more connectivity with these buses. Right now, I drive almost close to 100km each day in my car and hate it each day.
I think Vidhan Soudha is a great structure, though I was very dissapointed when they built the wall around it. For me, as a citizen, that stole half the beauty away.
Vinay, rest assured I am not talking about reneging on contractual obligations or making a hue and cry after the milk has been split. But I would question the thinking behind such a ludicrous decision of shutting down existing infrastructure instead of capitalizing on it. I travel extensively in Europe, by the way. Berlin has 3 airports (two in the city), Rome has its budget airport in city limits, Paris has 3 airports (one dedicated to budget carriers), ditto for London – neddless to say, all well connected. Add Brussels, Barcelona, Frankfurt,you name it.
Here, both in Hyderabad and Bangalore, there was an opportunity to streamline air infrastructure and we (govt. and people included) blew it. Your daily commute shows how difficult things are already. Yet, you believe that we should wait for the rail link and connecting roads rather than re-opening an existing, functional airport (with improvements, of course). There are always options like limiting its use for short haul or budget flights. Contractual obligations at community/city level are meaningful only if they are in the public interest.
Doosra:
As I already mentioned, it would have been better to have kept the HAL airport open, in addition to the new Airport. Agreed, it could have been limited to short haul or low-cost carriers, etc. etc., and that existing infrastucture could have been put to some use, and so on.
But all this is ‘could-have’, because for whatever reason, a contractual obligation does exist now, and a contract needs to be upheld in today’s market driven environment, especially by people like K.M.Shaw and the rest of the protesters. The message it sends out is bad. Today, if I have outsourced some work to, say, Infosys and I have a legal agreement with them which binds me in certain ways. I cannot dream of raising mud in the management against the binding contract three years down the line, can I?
Thats my only point, protests are not going to achieve much, and in this case I would prefer it if the protests stop, even though I agree with the protesters’ demand in principle.
I guess the rail link and the PRR are necessary anyway. by the way, an ‘exit clause’ from the contract does exist. Check this: http://bangalore.praja.in/discuss/2008/05/kiran-mazumdars-reply-mr-cn-kumar#comment-4433
oochara sir, i have been a member of that site for a while now. helps me keep track of the goings on.
Yes, there is a calculated campaign to run down the new airport. The anti-airport-walahs told us that nobody travels by air to Chennai from Bangalore after the airport was opened – they bragged that everyone preferred to travel by Shatabdi Express instead. Ten days back, SWR came out with the statistic that there was a mere 2.7 % increase in Shatabdi travellers to Chennai and a still lower figure for Lal bagh and Brindavan expresses. So, there you are, see how things are hyped !
Our old HAl airport was also good. It was conviniennt.
Come one new thing came up and dont call it as cattle shed!
nanna thamma hosabatte bandare, adanne yawagalu haakkobeku anthidda.
haage kelavu jana illi hosa airport banthu, hale airport annu eneno anthare.
They should have retained HAL airport. I wonder what happened to those employees.
Direct bus services connecting Devanahalli airport to surrounding districts 5 to 6 times a day should be provided.
I think that will make it convinient for airport users.
rosesarered
Completely agree with you. TOI is leading this disinformation along with other english newspapers. The other day TOI carried a front pager about HAL re-opening and of course the “story” was based on an anonymous source in ministry of civil aviation!! Given the water-tight contract between Union, State and the consortium that has been repeatedly tested at high-court, we might see arbitration proceedings beginning overseas.
May be TOI is angry that BIAL is yet to sign for their (infamous) private treaty agreement?
Dr. Sree Reddy:
haage kelavu jana illi hosa airport banthu, hale airport annu eneno anthare.
Naanu 5 varshada hinde ne HAL airport ge ‘chappar Airport’ anta hesaru ittidini.
I have been calling the HAL Airport a ‘cattle shed’ from time immemorial, even before there was any talk of BIAL. The old HAL airport was functional, it served the purpose. But it was by no means ‘good’.
You say the HAL airport was convenient. Pray, in what way was it convenient? It might have been convenient to reach for residents of Indiranagar, Halasuru, Domlur, Maratahalli, etc. etc. What about ppl who have their homes in Hebbal, Sanjaynagar, Rajajinagar, Malleswaram…
It was certainly not ‘convenient’ in most other aspects with regard to facilities one expects in an Airport. I presume you have already been to HAL airport several times before. I request you to take a trip from the new Airport too once, and then observe for yourself the difference.
I still aver and maintain that many disgruntled Kongas are deeply upset about the closure of HAL Report! I hope the clowns in the government don’t start or do something to revive that toilet of an airport.
Airport could have been easily connected by extending the existing railway system with less money and cost. But huge projects, foreign contracts have their own charm to politicians and bureaucrats.
Whether HAL is chappar or decent two airports are certaily better than one. It is the same game which prevented Bangalore-Mangalore railways line opening for a long time
And what is RK Misra doing here. I was told by him at the end of Lead India Campaign that he will go back to his village in UP and start an rural education revolution?
Hope Tamilnadu govt will take up Hosur airport
The BIAL airport even with some teething troubles, is pretty good. Transport to and from the airport is also available from most parts of the city (though not used fully). I do not know why a lot of people take pleasure in running it down. The HAL airport served its purpose but had many limitations. I am not aware of all the statistics but a second airport would be needed only if the existing (new) airport is operating beyond its capacity. It does not seem like that now. From a security, economy generation and future expansion standpoint, fully making use of the new airport makes better sense.
Shall I say, Ramya knows no better?
What she has done is like comparing a Asbestos Sheet home to a thatched roof home and saying Asbestos sheeted home is better.
The question that begs an answer is – Why can’t we have world standard airport in bangalore? Hyderabad just got one! I fly every week to Hyderabad and contrast can’t be most stark. Double the terminal space for Half the passengers, eye pleasing design, clean and well maintained environment and Almost always available Aerobridge.
The question wasn’t if this airport is better than HAL Airport. HAL was never an ‘Airport’, it was just an air-strip with a shed to handle passengers. The first airport built in Bangalore can’t be a let down of this nature.
Besides, best building after Vidhanasoudha?! Talk about Blinkered vision!
No private airport operator will risk further investments with a ‘Damocles sword’ of ‘open HAL’ hanging over its head. There’s so much conflict of interest here with the AAI, being the terminal operator at HAL and a minority shareholder in BIAL, preparing a report on BIAL. What the hell were they auditing when BIAL terminal was being constructed?
Easy to blame a private party when our own government keeps changing the aviation policy to suit its whims and fancies.
I simply don’t get it how any problems at BIAL can be solved by reopening HAL. People who compare HIAL to BIAL should take into account the fact that BIAL ploughed through a minefield of civil aviation policy (the Tatas-Changi walked out of it) and GMR had it easy as a follower. Also there was no bidding in HIAL – it was a MoU signed between GMR and the MoCA. And GMR has political connections something which BIAL apparently doesn’t.
The terminal design is of the 1990s vintage and its wrong to blame BIAL solely for it. Wasn’t it approved by the MoCA? The new airports have contemporary designs to follow from around the world.
Initially, the ‘open HAL’ campaign focussed on regional flights only at HAL. Now they talk about open competition for all domestic sectors and the “right to choice” between the two airports for airlines and passengers. Can we even expect open competition between a government and a private party? We’ve seen how DoT and TRAI by extension, favour BSNL for no reason on telecom issues.
Can some one give an impartial evaluation of Hyderabad and BIAL please!
I am told Hyderabad is a bigger airport in size but Harkol seems to be positively disgusted by BIAL’s standards. Either the man is too much of an eclectic or a shit stirrer! Thank you.
@DB
Hyderabad is hot. Bengaluuru and our Chikkaballapur areas are cool places!
Why do you thinkHAL was konga airport? There were many many Kannada people. I knew many of them there. :)
The HIAL airport, atleast going by the pictures and discussions on popular forums like Skyscrapercity.com, is better than BIAL, in terms of passenger capacity and obviously aesthetics.
BIAL design is old and after all the delays, the consortium obviously wanted to finish the Phase-I without going back to the drawing board. And all traffic projections have gone awry in the last 3-4 years. GMR has had it much easy, the state govt. is on its side, you don’t keep hearing the public protest to keep open the Begumpet airport. NaavugaLu kaDDeena guDDe maadodaralli experts, alva?:D
But it needs to be kept in mind that B’lore has a much more active civil society than Hyderabad. I’ve seen entire roads cleared of trees and buildings demolished under TDS in Hyderabad to widen roads without any public protest. Its a positive thing that we’ve more “tree huggers” and “PIL specialists” in B’lore. Look at the CMH Road Metro protests as a clear example of this.
I am really impressed that a private company based on BOOT system have built such a big airport within a short time and it is really appreciable when compared to routine delays which we come across.I read in breif of the recent JPC report which was tabled.If the airport construction work was entrusted to the so called clean politicians than they would have have taken a minimum of 10years which they would have claimed as a monumental building. As an engineer and as a citizen I salute the engineers and the agency who have contributed for the completion of the project in a record time.There will be always teething trouble which I am confident that the agecy who have taken the the resposibility of operating will look into this.I would like to make a special mention that Mr Narayana murthy who is the driving force behind this gigantic project not to care about the comments from cheap politicians who just comment for their own glory without even not knowing what sorts of problems are encounterd while executing such gigantic public projects.Mr Narayana murthy please do not bother about their comments and we assure you as citizens of this country we are always behind you to give strength to strength and make this country no where less to any international standards and we will contribute our mite to make bangaloreian to be proud of his state as well as country.
jai hind
murthy