New Bangalore airport to open by end of May

The government on Tuesday said the new Bangalore airport would be made operational by the last week of May, while keeping alive the option of allowing small aircraft to use the existing HAL airport.

"We have given them (BIAL) various options including allowing aircraft less than 80-seaters to operate out of the existing airport," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told reporters in New Delhi.

He said extensive discussions were held with BIAL, the operators of the new airport, "in accordance with advice of the Karnataka High Court regarding the opening of the new Bangalore airport."

The High Court had earlier advised the government to explore the possibility of allowing the existing airport run by HAL to function.

"There are legal issues, contractual obligations and complexities. We discussed all that. No decision has been taken but the new Bangalore airport at Devanahalli will be made operational in the last week of May. We will meet again on May 12 to examine various aspects," Patel said.