SC refuses to pass order on plea against HAL airport closure

SC refuses to pass order on plea against HAL airport closure The Supreme Court refused to hear a public interest litigation filed by an NGO alleging that the Centre's decision to close down the existing airport in Bangalore for commercial flights was unilateral and arbitrary. The NGO, Bangalore City Connect Foundation, has sought a direction to the Centre and the Karnataka government to keep both the existing Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Airport and the new airport at Devanahalli operational for commercial flights to avoid inconvenience to the public. The connectivity between Bangalore and Devanahalli, 40 km away from the city, was bad, and it would take hours for passengers to travel to the new airport, it said. A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan refused to pass any order saying there was no urgency in the matter and it would be taken on 5th May, the scheduled date for hearing. The NGO said a grave prejudice would be caused to the residents of Bangalore who would be constrained to commute on congested and deteriorating roads to the new airport and this would undermine the very purpose of the air travel. While stating that the petitioner did not object to the opening of the new airport, senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing for Bangalore City Connect Foundation, said the HAL airport can to be used for short-haul domestic flights for the convenience of the public. The Karnataka High Court on 17th April had refused the petitioner's plea seeking a direction to the Centre and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) against closing down of the HAL airport for commercial operations.

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