The Indian aviation industry is about a reach an important milestone as the Bangalore International Airport, India's first new-generation airport, races to completion on 30 March 2008. Albert Brunner speaks to Venugopal Pillai on how this was achieved, and the way forward. Excerpts:

The new Bangalore Airport is on the verge of commissioning, marking a new chapter in India's aviation history. Please describe the sense of accomplishment at BIAL. How were such high standards of project management and coordination achieved and that too for such a complex project?
Thank you for the compliment but we have to clarify that it has not been that easy. When the project was designed initially, we had anticipated a traffic volume of approximately five million passengers in the first year of operation. However, this figure was already reached by the time we started construction. The big challenge was to significantly increase the project which was already under construction without jeopardising the initial airport opening date. The redesign process along with the formal approval took more then nine months and by the time the increased project was approved, almost one third of the construction was complete.
Our project is the result of tremendous team work. It is not possible to realise such a project under the given time constraints without the full dedication of thousands of people involved (in the offices and at site) and without support from various authorities.
We believe in India's growth and the huge potential it has; this city too wants the project to be a success and we are looking forward to March 30 when the airport will become operational.
What were the most gruelling moments and challenges during project execution, given that this is India's first PPP airport?
Building a new private greenfield airport in India is much more than a construction project, it means setting up an unprecedented legal framework - be it the concession agreement, the land lease agreement or the state support agreement. All this took time because it had to be done right, without any mistakes for the benefit of any future agreements. The task also includes coping with huge time pressure, recruiting and training personnel form a large talent pool with limited experience. It also requires selection of partners like caterers, ground handlers and retailers etc., who are willing and are able to provide service according to the highest international standards. Like mentioned above, this project is a result of a tremendous team work and that includes the Government of Karnataka.
The Bangalore Airport is regarded as India's first new-generation airport. What facilities and services would be radically different from those offered by existing international airports in the country?
BIAL is committed to establish the new Bangalore International Airport as one of India's leading airport in terms of quality and efficiency and set a benchmark for the future commercial development of Indian airports. Some of the unique aspects are:
An airport which is truly passenger focused:
u Passenger transfer (domestic & international) under one roof
u Star hotel just opposite the terminal building
u Short walkways for passenger convenience
u Common use of check-in counters
u Swing gates (between international and domestic) to enhance capacity
u State-of-the-art IT infrastructure
u Passenger experience which combines business and leisure
BIAL has pioneered the partner selection approach:
u Selection of professional partners (to combine global experience and local insight)
u Competitive price structures (to encourage competition)
u Defined minimum quality standards (to benchmark against international service)
u Open access fuel infrastructure
What is BIAL's projected revenue generation for 2010? How much of this would come from aeronautical activities?
It is a bit early to comment; currently the focus is to open the airport on time.
What is the model for non-aeronautical revenue?
We envision the Airport City to be a flourishing destination in itself; people will not only come here to take flights but also to relax, do business and shop. It will provide growth, giving a strong impact on economy and creation of jobs.
The initiative of BIAL to develop Airport City is in line with the increasing attention being paid to 'Aerotropolises' globally. An Aerotropolis is a city in which the layout, infrastructure, and economy are centered around a major airport. Experts in the field are of the opinion that airports will shape business location and urban development in this century as much as seaports did in the 18th century, railroads did in the 19th century and highways in the 20th century.
We understand that the airport will begin operations with a passenger handling capacity of 11 million per year, and cargo capacity of 1.4 lakh tonnes per year. What are the broad plans for further capacity expansion?
Yes, the new Bangalore International Airport will begin with handling a passenger capacity of 11 million per year and cargo of 3 lakh tonnes per year. There has been an unprecedented growth in the passenger traffic in the aviation industry at large and this includes Bangalore.
Speaking of the future, the master plan of the new Bangalore International Airport has been developed to fulfill the need for an operationally efficient and passenger friendly airport for Bangalore. It ensures that the size and capacity of the airport facilities can be gradually expanded based on the passenger and cargo growth. The land at our disposal allows us to develop the airport up to a capacity of more than 50 million passengers a year. BIAL will make sure that we can always meet the demand.
Are you satisfied with the progress on the proposed road and rail connectivity to the upcoming Bangalore Airport? We understand that the road connectivity project has not kept pace with the airport project.
The airport is at a distance of 30 km to the city and     is currently linked with a six-lane highway that has been completed. In addition, a peripheral ring road, a high-speed rail link and an express highway, among others, are currently planned.
BIAL has also taken within its scope the construction of the Trumpet Interchange which will connect the NH-7 to the airport. This will be ready by March 2008.
BIAL is working closely with the Karnataka government in order to improve the accessibility to the new airport. The implementation of such projects lies with the GoK and it is not in the scope of BIAL.
BIAL has seen the coming together of engineering giants, Siemens and Larsen & Toubro, and Unique Zurich Airport of Switzerland. Do you plan to extend this partnership to other projects in India, or abroad?
It is premature to comment at this stage. The current focus of BIAL is to complete the new Bangalore International Airport project master plan.