Is Murthy accountable for BIAL faulty design?
By siliconindia   |   Tuesday, 22 December 2009, 15:35 IST
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Is Murthy accountable for BIAL faulty design?
Bangalore: The Joint House Committee (JHC) enquiring the construction of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) summoned 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 advised to blacklist 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 JHC Chairman D Hemachandra Sagar, was tabled in the legislature on Monday. It says that 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, reports Economic Times. JHC said that Murthy and Chandrashekar have been indicted on two counts. Firstly, both were among the first directors when Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) was incorporated on January 5, 2001. Secondly, they participated in the first board meeting of BIAL, on March 21, 2001, which appointed IAS officer K Jairaj as Managing Director. Murthy refused to comment on the issue, but Chandrashekhar defended himself and said, "I 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." 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. JHC has also 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," said the committee. The recommendations of the committee may bring cheer to people fighting for reopening of the HAL airport. The committee has asked both governments to consider reopening the old facility for healthy competition. It has also suggested that BIAL should 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.

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