After being assured by the Union Government that the “suggestions” made by the High Court to consider the inconvenience factor while closing down the Bangalore airport, and also the issue of charging User Development Fee (UDF) will be looked into, the Supreme Court on Monday disposed of the petitions filed against the closure.

The matter was disposed of after Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium informed the Bench that the Government would consider their concerns in accordance with law during a meeting scheduled for May 12.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and Justice M K Sharma directed the Centre and the Karnataka Government to keep the petitioners posted about the outcome of the meeting. “We are concerned about the problems of the citizens,” the Bench observed.

A public interest litigation filed by a Bangalore-based NGO had alleged that the Centre’s decision to close down the existing HAL airport in Bangalore was unilateral and arbitrary.

Bangalore City Connect Foundation, the NGO, had submitted that the connectivity between Bangalore and Devanahalli, which is 40 km away, was bad, and it would take hours for passengers to travel to the new airport.

The NGO said 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 air travel.

While stating that Government should not have any objection to the demands, senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing for Bangalore City Connect Foundation, said HAL airport could be used for short-haul domestic flights for the convenience of the public.

... contd.