PRESS TRUST OF INDIA 

NEW DELHI, MARCH 13:  A new international airport at Bangalore will open for operations in less than 13 months from now, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel informed the Rajya Sabha.
"The opening date of the new international airport at Bangalore, as fixed by the Bangalore International Airport Ltd, is April 2, 2008," he said in a written reply to a question.

He said the Karnataka government has suggested the new airport be known as Bangalore International Airport.

"As a matter of general policy, the name of the city is retained for naming the airport since passengers and visitors in general, and foreign tourists in particular, find it easier to identify the airport when it is named after the city it services," Patel said.

To another question, he said the Indian Airlines has earned a net profit of Rs 44.17 crore in 2003-04, Rs 65.61 crore in 2004-05 and Rs 49.50 crore in 2005-06.

Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni to a separate question said her ministry has given clearance to Star Cruises for operating its cruise from Mumbai and Goa to Lakshadweep and the Indian Ocean Cruise Ltd for operating its cruise from Goa to Lakshadweep via Mangalore, Cochin and Trivandrum.

She said the Ministry of Environment and Forests has not objected to operation of cruises.

Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav to another question said 1439 companies in India were manufacturing and selling ISI marked packaged drinking water while nine were selling mineral water.