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Tatas did not pull out of Bangalore international airport: Patel

Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel today denied media reports that the Tatas-led consortium had withdrawn from the prestigious Rs 27 billion international airport project near Devanahalli.

"As far as I know, they are still pursuing the project. However, they are fed up over the treatment meted out to them by various ministries at the Centre," he told the media.

He said the Tatas had expressed their difficulties but the Karnataka government had asked them to go ahead with the project. "If necessary, I will talk to Ratan Tata on the project," he added.

Media reports, quoting a spokesperson of the consortium, had said that they had pulled out of the project as it was "no longer viable to continue with the project. We are out of it."

The reports also said that Tata chief Ratan Tata had written to Patel on June 25 stating that the consortium was pulling out of the project as its viability had been seriously affected because of a series of delays. The consortium had signed the memorandum of understanding for the project on December 29, 1995.

UNI