Bandh, protests to greet Hyd intl airport launch

The formal launch of the country''s first modern greenfield international airport in Hyderabad slated on Friday is expected to witness a lot of excitement besides the heat generated by the pro-Telangana protests in view of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's visit to the city in this connection.

The GMR-led Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) and the Andhra Pradesh government have joined hands to make the occasion a grand event. Sonia Gandhi, who also laid the foundation stone for this project three years ago, will be inaugurating the airport, named after her husband and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The airport will start commercial operations from Sunday.

While the BJP and Naxals have called for a protest bandh against the 'Congress party's betrayal' to the cause of separate statehood for Telangana on the eve of Sonia's visit on one side, the staff at the Begumpet airport have been continuing with their strike against the closure of the old airport. Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday started hearings of a writ petition filed against the closure of the existing airport.

The court adjourned the proceedings for tomorrow after taking note of the defence presented by the GMR counsel and AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi in favour of the closure of the existing airport, stating that it was a precondition for taking up the new international airport.

All the pro-Telangana organisations have extended their support for the BJP bandh call while TRS, which is spearheading the cause of Telangana statehood has stayed away from the bandh call. Meanwhile, the Board of Intermediate Education has postponed tomorrow's annual examination to Sunday in view of the bandh call.