Is LRDE test facility a casualty of Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL)

"Akash rescues Indian air defence after delays hit Israeli Spyder missile purchase....", screams a news headline from December 2007.

The Akash surface to air missile was tested at test facilities of the Indian defence forces in Kolar, most likely, the full fledged test facility of the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE). The Kolar test facility is identified in the airspace map of Bangalore (as below), 30 nm east of BIAL, as VOD. VOD in airmap parlance means a Dangerous Area, and pilots, globally, recognise the red colour, and keep out of VODs like the plague.

The air map of Bangalore shows that this facility is proposed to be "shifted" from its existing area to an area somewhere in Sector "E" to facilitate the new Bengaluru International Airport being built by BIAL.

There are no public figures available, but I estimate this facility cost the taxpayers of India about Rs. 300 Crore (US$75 million). I wonder what the shift will cost the Indian taxpayer ?

More importantly, if this shift is being forced due to the commissioning of the BIA, in my humble opinion, the Indian tax payer via the Government of India, should demand, that the costs incurred for the shift, be reimbursed by the BIAL consortium.

I am very interested in hearing your opinion. Please post your on this article using the link below.

The public interface for the DRDO is on their website.