Domestic flyers taken for a ride

The HAL airport which is servicing both domestic and international flights is set to revert to its original role of being used for defence purposes only once the international airport at Devanahalli is thrown open next year. The new airport is planned to match international standards, with good and fast road connectivity to the city through expressways and four lane roads. If everything else goes as per plan, things will be hunky dory, but if the infrastructure does not match the prevailing demand, air passengers are going to suffer badly. The domestic passengers who are growing in numbers by the day thanks mainly to affordable fare of low cost carriers will be at the mercy of the taxi and autorickshaw drivers, who will squeeze the pockets of the middle class travelers.

Consider: Reaching Devanahalli by taxi costs more than the cost of flying to a nearby destination by air!  The government and the international airport authorities have made it mandatory for shifting of domestic flights from the present HAL airport to the new one after completion. Once the HAL airport closes down for civil aircrafts Airport Road would be relieved of some traffic which could number around three thousand vehicles. Given the rapid rate at which traffic is rising on Airport Road, one suspects that even after the changeover, there would not be much change in the traffic conditions.

The HAL airport would stand to lose revenue and more importantly, the cost of maintaining the infrastructure would be an additional burden on the management. HAL is embarking on ambitious plans for building aircrafts for both defence and civilian needs and therefore the airport requirements are going to multiply. It remains to be seen whether all the infrastructure of the airport remains an essential to the future plans of the giant aircraft manufacturer, but as far as the domestic flight user is concerned, he/she definitely stands to lose for some time till the dust settles down.