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"The (existing) airports are not being closed down. They will be used for general aviation (apart from defence purposes and national emergencies).
"Keeping in mind the interests of all sections, we will try to find a way out of the legal problems in the future, speak to the operators (of the greenfield airports).
We will try to expand operations at the existing airports. But no immediate solution is possible," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told reporters at the Parliament House.
However, he said it was difficult at this moment to give any commitment in this regard.
He also urged the employees, who are on a 'non-cooperation movement' since Wednesday to protest the closure of the two existing airports, to withdraw their protest action in the interest of the nation and the travelling public.
The term 'general aviation' denotes non-scheduled operations of private aircraft or chartered services in which small planes are generally used. Under the agreements entered with the private parties which are building and operating the new airports at the two cities, the government has to close down commercial flight operations in the old ones.
Referring to the two airports on which the Airports Authority Employees Joint Forum is conducting the agitation, Patel said there was "nothing to worry about the future of the employees. There future will be secure. New airports have to be constructed in national interest."
The Minister also said that the inauguration of the Bangalore airport had been delayed by one month due to certain "technical issues".
"Though radars and air traffic control equipments have been installed, there are some technical issues. Keeping in mind these problems, we have decided to delay its launch by one month," Patel said.
On the new Hyderabad airport which is to be inaugurated by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi tomorrow, he said it was "fully ready, though there is a problem of connectivity (between the airport and the city). But infrastructure has to be built in long-term national interests."
He said the decision to construct greenfield airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore was taken by the NDA government. "We are continuing the same. Nothing new has been done."
The demand for general aviation was growing leaps and bounds and several orders were being placed for small jets and private aircraft, he said indicating that the high growth of general aviation could help expand operations at the old Hyderabad airport.
It is good that Aviation Minister, Praful Patel has assured the Employees that the two existing two Airports of Hydrabad and Bangalore will continue to exist even after New Airports start functioning at Bangalore and Hydrabad. It seems the Govt. is bound with an agreement that the existing airports will be closed ones the Bangalore Airport start its services. However, as it also needs to be considered that new the Bangalore Airport which started about three years the Passenger count in service was thought to be four millions and it so also an increase of two million Passenger was also foresee. But this requirement has already reached to six million right now and the Private Company and its group has taken care to meet this big requirement to eight to ten million and possibly doing its job quite fast and date and time to its sight. They have done a good job and deserve appreciation. It looks the State Govt. did not think that they will do this job so fast in time or earlier and that is why the roads and other facilities required to be done by other agencies are not ready. The delay of one month is not good but who is actually responsible that should be cleared and conveyed to the people by the Hon'ble Minister. The Bangalore Airport Company and its entire staff must be appreciated by Govt. and Press and Media. It would have been better State Govt. should have avoided making and breaking the Govt. and concentraed to the Welfare of the State and City development of Bangalore.
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