Just a couple of minutes back, a Jet Airways flight from Mumbai touched down at the new Airport; this is the first “operational commissioning” of this greenfield airport; this is a historic moment in the history of Indian aviation.
For a country that is used to “seven years for the construction of a simple flyover” the accomplishment of building of a greenfield international airport that is efficient, beautiful and modern, in less than 36 months is a record by any measure. The Chief Project Officer Mr. Sivaramakrishnan Iyer and the CEO Mr. Albert Brunner must be complimented for their herioc achievement.
Bangalore Airport construction started on July 2, 2005; it was ready for inauguration by March 2008; in fact, a Deccan Aviation aircraft (and a Kingfisher airctaft) landed in the new Airport on March 7, 2008 as test flights. The Airport was to have been opened on March 23rd; it got postponed to May 11, then to May 22 and finally to May 23 midnight.
The first take off will be Air India flight to Singapore at 00.05 hours of May 24 (less than 2 hours from now)
Indian Airports have been in a pathetic condition for decades. Cochin Airport did an innovation in the form of Public Private Partnership; it is a good Airport, but with modest features. Mumbai and Delhi Airports are under modernization; the exercise will get completed only by 2010. Bangalore is the first Airport built with private sector efficiency and with truly internatiuonal features.
Hyderabad that started after Bangalore, managed to commission it in March 2008; it follows a similar model of Private investment getting channelized for infrastructure. Hyderabad has done several such “smart” moves – copying from Bangalore, but walking away “first” with the cake; IT Policy, IIIT, ISB, Fab and International Airport. Having a Government in the State that is “aligned” with the Government at the Center helps Hyderabad in every time; it hurts Bangalore every time!
Interestingly, Bangalore could not even celebrate such a success; while BIAL did a great job, successive governments failed to build a road / train connection to the Airport; BIAL had to build even the clover cross junction that connects the Airport to the National Highway! Thanks to political instability, the “bhoomi puja” (start of construction) could not be done (there were no “leaders”) with any fanfare; the inauguration also could not be done with any fanfare, as there is no government in place as of today. In a sense, it is truly a “citizen celebration” than any VIP presence, which is truly in the “democartic” spirit than any “royal” spirit.
Ironically in India, solid achievements do not seem to win votes, but devisive moves win votes! One hopes our democaracy will turn more “people friendly” one day!
