House panel indicts Murthy for faulty airport design
TNN 22 December 2009, 12:35am IST
BANGALORE: The Joint House Committee (JHC) probing the construction of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) has indicted Infosys chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy, MP Rajeev Chandrashekar, bureaucrats V P Baligar, K Jairaj and other officials for "faulty" design and construction.
It has also recommended blacklisting of infrastructure majors L&T, Siemens and Unique Zurich Airport for at least five years for "poor quality of workmanship" at BIA.
The report, submitted to the government by committee chairman D Hemachandra Sagar, was tabled in the legislature on Monday. It says decisions at each stage -- from project approval to construction of BIA -- did not lead to the construction of an airport of international standards. It has recommended "appropriate action" against officers responsible for the present state of affairs at BIA.
Murthy and Chandrashekar have been indicted on two counts. One, both were among the first directors when Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) was incorporated on January 5, 2001. Two, they participated in the first board meeting of BIAL, on March 21, 2001, which appointed IAS officer K Jairaj as managing director.
While Murthy refused to comment on the report, Rajeev Chandrashekar said he quit as a BIAL director in 2003, before the government brought in the private participant. "I have consistently criticized the monopoly status of the airport. The private stakeholder could exit the project in two years with a windfall profit, leaving no competition on the ground, with the closure of HAL airport, and making the new airport facility more expensive for the common man. So, in a way, I agree with the recommendations that somebody should be accountable for what has happened," he told TOI.
Describing the terminal building as an "industrial shed", the committee has expressed serious concern over the absence of a structure depicting the culture and glory of Karnataka.
In addition, the JHC has asked the five directors of BIAL, nominated by the central and Karnataka governments, to safeguard the interests of the state. "There is an urgent need to put in the whole weight of directors of both the governments to get better and adequate amenities on a par with any other international airport. The directors should ensure that debt does not become a noose around the neck of the government as the onus of the mounting debts of the company falls on the shoulders of governments," the committee observed.
The JHC was constituted a year ago after legislators debated the design and construction of BIA.
The recommendations of the committee will bring cheer to people fighting for reopening of the HAL airport. It has asked both governments to consider reopening the old facility for healthy competition. Further, the JHC has asked the Centre to order BIAL to withdraw the user development fee of Rs 260 as the company has failed to provide facilities on par with international standards.
It has recommended that BIAL be headed by an Indian who can understand local aspirations and requirements. The JHC has considered the observation made by a parliamentary standing committee which noted there was "a complete lack of transparency" in awarding engineering, procurement and construction contracts by BIAL.
House panel indicts Murthy for faulty airport design - Bangalore - City - The Times of India
