Task cut out for BIAL House panel <BANGALORE: Has Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) fully utilised the 4,000 acres allotted to it? Can the excess land, if any, be withdrawn? Why did the airport project cost shoot up from Rs 1,350 crore to Rs 2,700 crore? These are some of the posers which the 21-member House Committee have for BIAL and will seek answers for over the next three months. The Committee, headed by Chickpet MLA Hemachandra Sagar,which has been set up by the State Government to probe into the alleged violation of terms and conditions by BIAL during the airport's construction, has 15 terms of reference, including various MoUs and agreements signed by the stakeholders.According to the detailed notification issued by the Secretary, Legislative Assembly, the Committee will look into the Airport Authority of India's (AAI's) report to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on capacity constraints. **It will also probe as to why despite providing tax exemptions to the tune of several crores and free water and power supply, the airport is sub-standard?** Other terms of reference include passenger facilities at the airport, absence of VIP lounge, outsourcing of the taxi services to private operators and permission for construction of second terminal at the airport. It will also make recommendations on how to give a facelift to the airport in line with other international airports. Fourteen MLAs who are members of the committee include N Yogesh Bhat, Veeranna Charanthimatt, M Srinivas, C N Ashwath Narayan, M V Nagaraj, N S Nandish Reddy, S R Vishwanath, D K Shivakumar,V Srinivas Prasad, Qamarul Islam,M B Patil,N L Narendra Babu, H D Revanna and H C Balakrishna.The six MLCs are: K C Kondaiah, Munivenkatareddy, Manohar Maski, Thontadarya, Abdul Azim and M C Nadagoud.
The House Committee will examine the following: * MoU signed between KSIIDC and AAI:May 1999. * Bidders asked to give detailed project report: November 8, 2000. * Siemens-led consortium selected by Government of Karnataka: October 29, 2001. * Share holders' agreement: January 20, 2002. * Concession agreement between Government of India, Government of Karnataka and BIAL: July 5, 2004. *State support agreement between Government of Karnataka and BIAL: January 20, 2005. * Land lease agreement between Government of Karnataka and BIAL: January 20, 2005. * EPC contracts with Siemens Germany, L&T and Siemens India: March 11, 2005. *Operation and management services agreement between BIAL and Unique Zurich:April 8, 2005. * CNS/ATM agreement between BIAL and AAI:April 6, 2005. *Land lease deeds signed between BIAL and KSIIDC:April 30, 2005. * Extension of shareholders agreement: June 10, 2005. * SBI guarantee to BIAL on state support of Rs 350 crore: June 22, 2005. * Declaration of financial closure by ICICI Bank: June 23, 2005. > The best way to avoid this kind of recrimination at Mopa is for the Goa govt to take a hands on approach to the project right from inception (design and planning) all the way to completion and gradually easing up during operation. Not completely though because it has to ensure that Dabolim civil enclave does not close by default (i.e. some oversight on its part) for the next 10 years. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. No room here for sosegadd or whatever.
