Discussion on reopening Bengaluru’s HAL Airport gains momentum

 The possibility of reopening the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport, located in the heart of Bengaluru, has once again come under discussion. A crucial meeting to decide its future is scheduled for the second week of March in Delhi, with key stakeholders from the aviation sector set to participate. The meeting will be chaired by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation and will include officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), and HAL. The primary agenda will be assessing the feasibility of resuming commercial flight operations from the HAL Airport. Reopening the airport is expected to ease congestion at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Devanahalli while providing travelers with an alternative option within city limits. Experts believe that the move could boost economic activity and generate additional revenue for the city. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, representing Bengaluru South, has been a vocal proponent of reopening the airport. He emphasized that restoring flight services at HAL would be a major advantage for Bengaluru. Additionally, he has urged the government to extend the metro network to HAL Airport to improve accessibility. The HAL Airport, which functioned as Bengaluru’s primary airport until 2008, was shut down following the inauguration of KIA. The upcoming meeting will determine if it can once again serve as a key aviation hub.