GVK group asked to show BIAL's expansion details

Environment Ministry has finalised terms of reference (TOR) for giving approval to the Rs 978 crore expansion plan of Bangalore international airport aimed at augmenting its passenger handling capacity from 11 million to 17 million.

As per the TOR, which set out a road map for the execution of the project, developer GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd has been asked to submit details on road and rail link to the project site and impact of the increase in traffic — both passenger and cargo — due to the proposed activity. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the environment ministry in a recent meeting has also asked the project proponent to give details of the Supreme Court order approval for using a patch of forest land which the state government claimed to have denotified.

As the expansion plan is being envisaged within the airport area, no public hearing will be required, said the Committee. The first public hearing for the project was conducted in 2001 under Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 for which clearance was issued the following year.

The current plan includes expansion of terminal building on east and West sides, construction of additional apron, VVIP building, energy centre, new chiller plant, improvements on airside, landside and roads, forecourt. Land requirement for the proposed facilities will be approximately 20 hectares, which the project proponent claimed was available within the airport area.

Submission of a detailed draft EIA report, details of rain water harvesting facilities, solid waste generation treatment and its disposal have also been included as part of the ToRs finalised by the Committee.