Renewed push for reopening Bengaluru’s HAL Airport for commercial flights
Bengaluru: A high level stakeholders' meeting was held on April 15 in New Delhi to discuss restarting commercial operations at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport in Bengaluru. The meeting was convened in the light of increasing air traffic congestion and long travel times to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), revolved around obtaining regulatory approvals and operational frameworks.
The HAL Airport which was the city's major air traffic hub up to 2008, was closed to civilian flights after the opening of KIA. Since then, it has continued to operate for military, VVIP, and private charter services. With two-hour road travel to KIA on many occasions because of bottlenecks at the Hebbal interchange and the Metro link being over two years from completion, there is renewed focus on strategic benefits of reviving the centrally located HAL plant.
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, who is pushing for its revival, has confirmed that both Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) have shown interest, though their stands are different. AAI is said to be keen to handle operations itself, whereas BIAL has cited a no-compete clause in its concession arrangement. With this difference unresolved, the Civil Aviation Secretary has asked for further consultations to work out possible arrangements.
The airport infrastructure remains largely intact with a runway, measuring 3,306 metres and equipped with a Category I Instrument Landing System, is capable of handling wide-body aircraft including Boeing 747s. In its last year of commercial service, HAL Airport had an annual passenger handling capacity of 10 million. Thirty parking bays, two helipads, and other support infrastructure continue to be in use for existing non-commercial flight operations.
Sources indicate that AAI has drawn up a master plan for reviving commercial services. This includes upgrades to the terminal building and provision for a multi-level parking facility for around 500 vehicles. However, a government notification issued in April 2024, formalising the extension of BIAL’s concession agreement till 2063, did not reference a clause discussed earlier that would have allowed BIAL to also operate HAL for limited civilian use.
Even so, HAL has reportedly remained in conversation with both the Union Government and BIAL to explore mutually agreeable terms under which the airport can resume partial commercial operations. A phased reopening, suggested by aviation analysts, is being considered. The proposal includes allowing select short-haul flights, especially during off-peak hours. This could include late-night flights to major metros and regional connections to destinations such as Hubballi. Former HAL spokesperson Gopal Sutar said that the airport could be made flight-ready within weeks, should the required approvals be issued.
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Sociologist Andre Beteille passes away at 91
New Delhi (PTI): Noted sociologist and writer Andre Beteille died due to age-related illness at a hospital here on Tuesday night. He was 91.
"My father was ailing for some time. He was in the hospital, where he passed away last night," his daughter, Radha Beteille, told PTI.
His last rites were performed on Wednesday. Beteille was a Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Delhi since 2003. He was known for his studies on the caste system and social inequalities in India.
Born in West Bengal to to a French father and an Indian mother, Beteille moved to Delhi after completing his MA from Calcutta University.
Throughout his career, Beteille authored several books covering a wide range of topics from political sociology to the sociology of religion.
His prominent works include 'Caste, Class and Power', 'Society and Politics in India' and 'The Idea of Natural Inequality and Other Essays'. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2005 for his contribution in literature and education.
Historian Ramachandra Guha paid tribute to Beteille, calling him a "moral and intellectual anchor".
"Devastated to hear that the great sociologist Andre Beteille is no more. He was the Indian scholar I most admired, for me (and many others) a moral and intellectual anchor," Guha wrote in a post on X.
Ashoka University, where Beteille served as the chancellor from 2014 to 2017, said in a post on X that he led the University's governing body with "wisdom, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to academic excellence".
"Professor Beteille was associated with Ashoka from its very inception and played a pivotal role in establishing its pre-eminent Academic Council. He also taught at Ashoka’s flagship Young India Fellowship (YIF) programme from its founding years...His passing is a profound loss to the academic community and to the entire Ashoka family. His moral and intellectual legacy will continue to inspire generations to come," the university said.
The University of Hyderabad mourned the passing of Beteille, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the XV Convocation of the university in 2013.
"Prof. Beteille was one of India’s foremost sociologists and social anthropologists who also served as the Chancellor of North Eastern Hill University. Also, Professor Emeritus of Sociology in the University of Delhi, he was known for his works on social inequality and caste in India. His methodology was rigorous and formulated through a dialogue with economics, political science and law. Prof. Beteille’s commitment to cultural pluralism, liberalism and constitutional democracy has imprinted itself in his academic and popular works, as well as his writings on public policy," it posted on X.
Publisher Chiki Sarkar remembered Beteille as "her first friend in Delhi".
"Andre was my first friend in Delhi, a neighbor who I went with for a weekly walk in Lodhi garden. He was of course a great scholar but the opening of his memoirs, my two grandmothers remains one of my favourite essays ever. An extraordinary man," the founder of Juggernaut Books said.
